On Sunday, Aug. 4, Denver set a record for the hottest temperature in the city since the National Weather Service started keeping track of the city’s highs and lows. That day, which peaked at 102 degrees at the airport, was the fifth day Denver tied or broke a heat record this summer. Although the heat wave is finally fizzling, hotter summers are the new normal for the foreseeable future. Climate change means longer, hotter summers, drier soils, and more frequent droughts.
Given this trajectory, homeowners may feel they have to choose between a crispy brown lawn, a high water bill, or an ugly rock-scape that radiates heat and irks neighbors. There is another option. By replacing some or all turf grass with native and other water-wise plants appropriate for high desert conditions, homeowners can reduce water use while creating wildlife habitat and other productive uses.
I gradually began eliminating sod from my landscape more than a decade ago and replaced it with plants that require less water and are far more productive than turf grass. The turf-free property now supports 60 kinds of fruit- and vegetable-producing plants and twice as many ornamental shade-giving and flowering plants, including some two dozen native species. The yard draws butterflies, bumblebees, insect-eating birds like wrens and towhees, and hummingbirds.
There is nothing wrong with having some turf grass, and there are types that consume less water, but having none means none of the broken sprinkler heads, flooded basement incidents, repair costs, and frustrations my folks experienced when I was young. My drip system, which delivers water directly to the base of the plants, costs little to repair or rearrange myself. I don’t own a lawn mower, leaf blower, or edger, the use of which contributes to carbon emissions and ozone pollution. Although I spend less money keeping up my yard, I confess I do spend more time enjoying it.
Lawn reduction may seem daunting financially and technically for those who have not taken the plunge into water-wise landscaping. Fortunately there are financial and educational resources available. The state government helps fund local government and water utility programs that provide financial incentives for turf replacement. You can get paid to rip out a portion of your lawn.
Don’t know what to plant or where to plant it? The Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Water and other city utilities, Front Range nonprofits like Resource Central, Wild Ones Front Range, Oasis West Wash Park, and others provide information on what to plant, where to buy it, and how to care for water-wise plants.
They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The same could be said for planting water-wise plants in an increasingly hot and arid time. As the weather cools and the August rains come, it might be tempting to put off landscaping changes until next year. When Denver starts breaking new records in June, July, and August of next year, procrastination will become regret. Now is the time to plan to replace some of that crispy, brown sod with water-wise plants. Late summer and fall are great times to plant. Get to it.
Krista L. Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on X: @kristakafer.
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