Have a section of your yard that just won’t grow any grass no matter what you try? Instead of being frustrated by the stubbornness of your yard, look at it as an opportunity. We know just how frustrating it can be when grass just won’t grow, so instead we’ve put together a guide to landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow to show you how to boost curb appeal or transform your backyard space into a spot you love. Read on and let’s get creative!
Why Won’t Grass Grow In My Yard?
Before we jump into landscaping ideas for where grass won’t grow, it’s important to learn why you’re having trouble getting that lush, green lawn in those spaces. While nobody wants to dwell on the negative, determining the best landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow is dependent on choosing alternatives that will thrive in the space, instead.
Does it get enough sunlight? (spoiler alert: probably not). What about your watering habits, soil acidity levels, or even just the amount of foot traffic that space gets? Even if you know what grass is right for Upstate NY lawns, all of these could be key factors and guaranteed ways to kill your lawn. To work around these challenges, our landscaping services professionals will identify the source of the issue and work with you to design a new landscaping installation that you’ll love.
Creative Landscaping Ideas Where Grass Won’t Grow
Once you’ve identified the challenges, it’s time to get creative and think about landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow! There are plenty of tips for how to landscape the front of your house and backyard makeover ideas to work around excess shade, nutrient deficiency, or any challenges your yard presents. Landscape professionals in Albany, Saratoga, Colonie, Schenectady, and the surrounding areas (we happen to know the best) will know which plants can thrive in the local USDA plant hardiness zone and have the experience to design landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow that you may never have considered!
Some of the best landscaping ideas for where grass won’t grow that you might consider for your yard are:
- Creating a flower garden that will thrive in the space
- Patio installation ideas for backyard living
- Mulching to bring a polished look to your yard
- Adding landscaping around trees
- Water feature installations to turn your eyesore into a show stopper
- Outdoor fire pits to take your landscape design to the next level
Planting a Flower Garden That Will Thrive
One of the most common reasons your grass is struggling is because it’s not getting enough sunlight. Shade in your yard isn’t a dirty word, though! Instead of turning your lawn into a heat trap, one of the easiest landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow is to plant a flower garden that thrives in shade, partial sun, and is low maintenance.
There are plenty of flowers, plants, and shrubs that can grow well in shaded gardening. These landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow take your yard from a barren wasteland to a beautiful garden. Options like primrose, Japanese forest grass, and astilbe make stunning backyard flower garden ideas.
Note: If you’re a pet owner, however, be sure to consult our professionals and the ASPCA list of toxic and non-toxic plants to create dog-friendly landscaping ideas that keep your pup safe.
Patio Installation Ideas for Backyard Living
Next on our list of landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow are patio installations. If you’ve got a spot where your grass struggles to stay alive, it may be the ideal space for patio installation ideas for the ultimate in backyard living. Patios make great backyard design plans for summer entertaining, offering up options for other landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow like raised flower beds and water feature installations.
Mulching to Create a Polished Look in Your Yard
If you’re fighting against dying grass, mulching the area also makes our list of landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow. What is mulching, you ask? Mulch is any material spread over cultivated soil. It includes grass trimmings, bark or wood chips, pine needles, straw, shredded leaves, and more.
While typically you think of mulch being an organic, decomposing material that needs to be replaced periodically, inorganic materials like pebbles, river rock, and landscape fabrics also fall under the description. These inorganic materials make great landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow for both aesthetics and weed prevention.
Mulching a space in your yard will create a professional, polished look where an otherwise unsightly patch of dead grass would’ve been, making it a key consideration for landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow.
Bonus: After this article, check out our guide to front yard landscaping ideas with rocks for inspiration on ways to incorporate them into covering up your challenging grass areas!
Strategic Landscaping Around Trees
As you’ve learned, many times the need for landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow stems from a lack of sunlight to help grass thrive. Some of the best trees to plant in Upstate NY provide ample shade for your yard, but could come at the price of some less-than-healthy grassy areas. Strategically landscaping around trees not only fixes this yard challenge, but creates visual interest and useful space!
Adding hardscaping like pathways or pavers from a patio installation to your tree landscaping offers homeowners the chance to make intimate seating areas to enjoy their yard to the fullest. You can also turn these landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow into focal points with pops of color from flowers and plants. The opportunities here are practically endless.
Water Feature Installations for Areas Where Grass Won’t Grow
Some of our favorite landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow are water feature installations! There are tons of different types of water feature designs to fit your space and budget. Not only do water features add value to a home, but they are adaptable to however you desire.
Large water features like garden ponds can become a central focus to turn your challenging yard space into a show-stopping landscape. Prefer a more subtle addition? Smaller backyard fountains and pondless waterfalls are great additions to landscaping or patio installations to bring the zen qualities of natural water sounds to your backyard. Instead of worrying about dead grass, these landscaping ideas for areas where grass won’t grow will be the crowning jewel of your professional landscaping design.
Bonus Tip: NVS Waterscapes, a division of NVS Landscapes, is ready to build you the water feature installation of your dreams. Let our professionals show you how landscaping design can transform your backyard into your own private oasis!
Outdoor Fire Pits Ideas
Last, but certainly not least, on our list of landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow are fire pits. Outdoor fire pit ideas can be designed to fit any look you want from a traditional, cozy space to the most modern of outdoor living areas. Instead of worrying about bare spots in your backyard, having landscaping services professionals add a fire pit to your outdoor space makes it usable and takes your Upstate NY landscape design to the next level.
As you can see, there are plenty of landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow that eliminate unsightly spots in your front and back yards, replacing them with show-stopping designs that will make you the envy of the neighborhood. Instead of fighting against struggling grass, consider it an opportunity to add something even more beautiful. Our Project Planner will help you start planning your next landscaping project and budgeting for the vision you want. Save your plans or submit them to us and one of our landscape professionals will be in touch to get started!
Want some more landscaping ideas for where grass won’t grow? Check out these guides to see the potential your yard has then let us bring that dream to life:
