One of the problems homeowners in desert and drought areas face is maintaining any semblance of a lawn. What doesn’t dry up in the heat can die because local water bans prevent homeowners from saving their grass.

There are some practical landscape options to this dilemma. For homeowners looking for a solution, they have options in a variety of price categories. Below are some ideas of what to do with a consistently brown lawn.

Use Concrete

Some homeowners who don’t want to deal with ongoing lawn maintenance use concrete to lessen the amount of grass in their yard. This is one of the cheaper landscape options. Concrete can be used for patios, outdoor sitting areas with a pergola, pathways, ponds and numerous other things.

Some people intermingle concrete with artificial turf to create a checkerboard pattern in their yard, which makes for artistic styling.

Go Natural

People use a variety of natural products to lessen their grass space and make their yard look alive. Things like boulders, pebbles, flagstone, brick all work wonderfully to add a sense of purpose to a dead yard. You can also use natural plants native to your area to ensure they thrive in your space. The combination creates a distinct style to an otherwise boring, brown yard. This type of style works well year-round as it isn’t dependent on water, certain soils or temperatures to work.

Landscape Paint

This may seem like an extreme endeavor, but some landscapers can paint your dead grass green. These type of landscape options will add some color in the winter or during a drought season. The thing to remember with this landscape option is it will change as the grass grows back during a wetter cycle. Also, you may need to have it redone during the next drought.

Artificial Grass

This is one of the best landscape options out there. Artificial grass isn’t dependent on water, temperature or soil. This makes it a great option for those living in drought-prone areas. It looks natural with both short and long blades. There are even a variety of green colors from which to choose. Your children and pets will not notice the difference. In fact, it may be more comfortable on their feet than your natural grass.

The best aspects of artificial grass is its low maintenance. You will not need to cut or weed it. It is environmentally friendly because you can reduce or eliminate all chemicals and pesticides on your lawn. It also reduces allergies because it does not pollinate. Artificial grass is durable and will not tear, stain or rip with pets. They can’t dig through it, but can easily go to the bathroom on it.

Your landscape options should match your personality, style, and ability to maintain your yard. Remember, your yard is an investment into your home. It is meant for your family to enjoy now and will add value and marketability to your home later, so choose well.