My husband and I are always fighting to try and keep our lawn looking nice. Between weeds, seed not taking, and dogs we are looking for a better option than using chemicals and spending endless money on maintenance to have a lawn that looks just OK. I live in Maryland (zone 7). What ground covers could be used as a lawn replacement? We are looking for something short that doesn't require mowing, is durable enough to be walked on and rolled around in by the dogs, not poisonous to dogs and will grow in our zone. I've been searching on the internet for a bit and can satisfy most but not all criteria. What would you recommend? We have both sunny and partial shade areas. Is my thought unrealistic? Thank you for your help!

Hello and Welcome!
Instead of replacing the lawn with a single ground cover, a lot of people are changing lawns to native gardens instead.
It takes some thoughtful design and hard work to get started, but can be very attractive and easy to take care of once it gets going. Here's a link to some examples and suggestions from your area, I hope you'll consider this:
https://extension.umd.edu/reso...

Creeping Charlie will work but there is nothing that will not have to be mowed on occasion and not look rag-tag.

Foot traffic and dogs is really hard on anything.

Grasses are the fall back because the growing point of grass is hidden don near the soil, so it grows back after common damage.

something like creeping thyme, I'm not sure about, because when stems get broken, the you are waiting for a whole new stem to grow.

The other challenge is actually tending to whatever until it grows to a solid cover. You'll have weeds or grasses popping up around whatever you try and transition to.

Zoysia is the toughest and most durable common lawn around here. If you get that established nothing will grow through. It makes a thick carpety feeling lawn. It goes brown and crispy all winter. It's eventually hard to keep out of beds and asphalt, will need edging. Have you read about zoysia?

We've been through a dog, chickens, kids.. as we have a low-chemical mindset we just mow whatever grows. Something always grows.

Astroturf?

https://extension.umd.edu/reso...

Thanks Rj, I usually go to U MD Extension for all the great info.

I like that it shows more mulch, stepping stones..
I think the takeaway is.. reduce what you try to keep as 'lawn'

Keep in mind, 'groundcover' means low growing somewhat spreading. It does NOT mean tough durable etc. They say "Maryland native groundcovers include wild ginger (Asarum canadense), alumroot (Heuchera americana), and green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)." I grow or have had all those. One roll or romp from a dog, those will be torn up for weeks. All dormant over winter= dirt or mulch area. -- they aren't a lawn substitute.

How about liriope/mondo grass as part of the lawn reduction? the spreading kind can cover an area, sun or shade (thinner in shade) with up to about a foot tall, (depends on type and conditions) mostly evergreen (or variegated) (gets ratty and browned after winter and you trim the old off yearly in early spring) grass like greenery. Very tough leaves that don't break easily.

Maybe look for native grass as lawn, alternative to the standard fescue,rye, whatever it is. But if dog and foot traffic beats up your lawn now, will natives grass do any better?

Here's a natural low maintenance partly sunny yard in your county this time of year with very little foot traffic now. We mow, might lime, might fertilize once.. no herbicides or pesticides.



Crabgrass will die after frost, looks pretty sad until spring, then anything green comes up.

That link is really an excellent discussion and resource.

Ditto on liriope.
Can't kill it. The running super aggressive type can just be left on top of the ground and will still grow.
I've seen people treat it like turf... mowing it every time they mowed the lawn... didn't bother it.

Just be aware that most of these 'ground covers' are super aggressive and often escape cultivation and wreak havoc over native ecosystems.

Personally, I'd just bring in a nice woodchip mulch and then gradually sprig in nice plants like the native ferns in the link posted...

The woodchips look nice and aren't really bothered by the dog traffic... Although... the armadillo root around in them in my area.

Thank you all so much for sharing your knowledge! I really appreciate it.