A couple of weeks ago, Rebecca introduced us to "safe lawn" methods: you can grow a traditional grass lawn with organic practices, making the whole process quite a bit greener. Another alternative (which she mentioned in that tip) is the use of native grasses and plants in place of more commonly-planted varieties. Native grasses require less water and fertilizer to establish and maintain; they also often don't require cutting, so you can just leave that gas-powered mower in the shed or garage.

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden has published a number of selections from Stevie Daniels' Easy Lawns that show homeowners around the US how to replace more popular grasses (which are often imports from Africa, Asia and Europe) with indigenous varieties. Depending on where you live, you may have several options available: buffalograss, sedges, and fescues are among the most popular native grasses, and most are indigenous to many areas of the country.

Of course, each grass will have specific requirements for optimal growth. Buffalograss, for instance, is a summer growth grass, so it doesn't need to be planted until late April. Fescues, on the other hand, are cool-season grasses, and will do better in early Spring; according to Daniels, they stay green longer into the Fall, and some varieties are even evergreen.

Native grasses will often produce a look that's a bit different from the traditional "manicured lawn"; that doesn't mean, though, that they're unattractive. Most can be cut, but don't necessarily need it: buffalograss, for instance, grows 3-8 inches in height.

Jeff says: I'm giving buffalograss a try this year in my backyard. I plan to dig up what remain of my very pathetic bluegrass lawn, and plant the native seeds later this month. I'll publish occasional posts on my success (or lack thereof) with this approach.