5 Types of Lawn Grass to Consider for Your Yard

Find the lush, green option you'll want underfoot.

For many, a healthy green lawn comes with the vision of a dream home. But, in reality, your dream home may not have a perfect lawn to match. Or, maybe your lawn started out pretty good, but has suffered years of wear and tear from kids, dogs, or rough weather conditions. If you’re looking to start fresh with your yard, for whatever reason, you're probably wondering what type of lawn grass to choose. So here are some common options to consider for your lawn refresh.

Related: 5 Common Lawn Care Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season grass that thrives during the fall and spring seasons. Its cold-tolerance quality makes Kentucky Bluegrass a popular choice for lawns in the northern Unites States. While it's a bit higher maintenance than other popular grasses, it makes up for the extra effort with its ability to recover from drought and a high tolerance to disease.

Fine Fescue

Fine fescue is a shade tolerant grass that can also handle direct sunlight in peak summertime, meaning it can do well in almost any yard. However, this grass does best in cool and humid climates, like New England and the Pacific Northwest. Fine fescue is a good choice for those looking for a low maintenance option, as it has a high tolerance to a number of conditions.

Buffalo Grass

Another low maintenance lawn option, buffalo grass is prized for its drought tolerance. The warm-season grass even has good cold-hardiness. Some cultivars of buffalo grass can also be used for a no-mow lawn, cutting back on the maintenance even further, and they can attract wildlife when left untouched.

Zoysia

Zoysia is a warm-weather grass that does best in temperatures above 80 degrees F, making it best-suited for southern states. While zoysia prefers full sun, it can tolerate some shade, and is also tolerant of drought and high foot traffic. The grass has a dense growth pattern, offering a soft, lush feeling underfoot.

Carex

A little different than your typical lawn options, carex—also called sedge grass—is a grass-like plant that can be used as a sustainable, low-maintenance lawn alternative. Carex plants can promote biodiversity, attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects. The grass substitute can also often be mowed just like regular grass.

Related: 5 Things You Can Do With Grass Clippings

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