Dry lawn: how to remedy it with low-water-use lawns

Persistent drought and increasingly hot temperatures are making it harder to remedy the problem of dry lawns, especially if you want to avoid wasting large amounts of water on garden maintenance. Traditional lawns, in fact, when exposed to heatwaves and long periods without rain, suffer from drought stress and take on the typical appearance of a dry lawn.

Unfortunately, climate change is putting the survival of the traditional English lawn we are accustomed to to the test, but there is an alternative that allows you to have a lush, heat-resistant lawn that requires neither excessive watering nor maintenance, even during periods without rain: the dry garden.

A dry garden is a way of gardening that uses low-water-use lawn varieties and is the solution for those who want to conserve resources when maintaining their green space, protecting the environment, avoiding water waste and the use of chemicals. Discovering the secrets of low-water-use lawns and the dry philosophy can revolutionize the way you garden.

Dry garden: the alternative to a dry lawn

They withstand intense heat and long periods without rain, need little watering and even less maintenance, and can be combined to adapt to any situation. Low-water-use lawns are the most ecological alternative to a dry, monotonous lawn.

The lawn varieties used in a dry garden are suitable for the increasingly dry climate we are experiencing, as they can withstand long periods of drought with very little watering. This way, you can use about 80% less water than is usually needed for traditional lawns, conserving valuable resources for the environment and for those who care for the garden.

However, a dry garden is not “just” a garden, but an almost completely self-sufficient ecosystem. By harnessing the strategies of nature, it is possible to create a lawn that, once fully established, can survive with just a couple of waterings throughout the year without risking drying out due to a lack of water. By following the instructions for planting this type of lawn, you can allow the roots to grow deep, and after the first year—during which a little extra watering is necessary—they will be able to find the moisture they need in the soil: this way, the lawn will withstand even the hottest summers and the longest periods of drought.

The benefits for the environment and the dry philosophy

Behind the idea of a dry garden is not only the conservation of resources, which is certainly useful for those who maintain a garden, but a true philosophy that imagines a new way of gardening, one that is in perfect harmony with nature.

Caring for a green space is certainly good for the environment, because every plant contributes to the well-being of the planet. At the same time, however, the idea of a traditional lawn, with fine, deep-green grass, carefully mown and chosen more for its appearance than for its functions, requires investments in watering, the use of herbicides and maintenance that are not particularly good for the environment. Having a green, lush garden that requires a great deal of watering to achieve that result is not ecological at all.

It is from these needs that the dry philosophy is born, allowing you to have a lush lawn without wasting water resources and, above all, without damaging the environment in any way, preserving its biodiversity. And biodiversity is one of the cornerstones of a low-water-use lawn, as it is what allows you to have a lawn that is resistant to various conditions and capable of enriching the soil.

How to create a low-water-use lawn

Choosing drought-resistant plants is not the only thing to consider when creating a lawn that will not dry out. There are several factors to consider when creating a green space that respects nature as much as possible.

First of all, the soil makes a difference. It is not so much the soil type that needs to be considered as the drainage available: avoiding waterlogging while allowing water to penetrate deeply is essential to ensure that the young plants have water reserves for periods of drought. Once the soil has been prepared, you will need to choose the right plants. And this is where biodiversity takes center stage.

Biodiversity is one of nature's strategies that can be used to make a lawn more functional, healthy, and ecological. At the time of planting, it is necessary to consider the importance of a varied lawn: including several varieties, generally two to four, makes the lawn more resistant to various environmental factors and more adaptable to less favorable conditions. Every garden has different needs: resistance to heavy foot traffic, lower winter temperatures, salt spray, or chlorine are all conditions that can be met by choosing the right combination of varieties.

To make the choice, it may be necessary to conduct establishment tests in small areas of the garden to understand which plants withstand the conditions of the surrounding environment best and to find the combination that meets your needs.

Once the choice has been made, you can proceed with the planting of the low-water-use lawn, and autumn and spring are the most suitable seasons for this important phase. During the lawn's first year, you will need to plan for a little extra watering to stimulate the growth of the young plants. During this period, watering should be infrequent and abundant: only then will it be possible to stimulate root growth and make the lawn ready to withstand long periods of drought.

When the lawn has become established and the young plants have covered the entire surface of the garden, the low-water-use lawn will be ready. It will need one or two waterings a year, two to four mowings, and very little maintenance. It will allow for significant savings and, above all, will be a space in complete harmony with nature, supporting biodiversity and not damaging the environment.