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Goodbye Grass! How Clover Provides the Low-Maintenance (and Sustainable) Lawn of Your Dreams

Turf grass is a thing of the past. Here's why you should consider a clover lawn as part of your next sustainable landscaping project.

clover lawn
Written by
Samantha Bailon
Published
As you are likely aware by now, traditional lawns are something of an environmental menace—but that hasn't stopped people from planting. More than
40 million acres of U.S. land
are covered by turf grass.
According to EPA's
WaterSense program
, U.S. households on average use around 96 gallons of water outdoors every day, with much of that footprint directed toward inefficient usage—like that required to keep your lawn lush. In addition to the copious amounts of resources (which also include emissions from
regular mowing
), lawns also decrease biodiversity and pollinator activity.
As average temperatures rise and droughts become more commonplace,
lawn alternatives
are at top of mind. For a low-maintenance, pretty, and environmentally friendly option, consider the clover lawn.

What Is a Clover Lawn?

clover lawn
Clover is a green, flowering alternative to grass. The most
common clovers
for lawn use are white, red, and strawberry, perennial species that make for robust and visually appealing ground cover. With a high tolerance for drought and a low level of need, clover lawns are a worthy solution to your landscaping woes.
Plus, flowers!
Here are five things to know if you're considering planting a clover lawn.

5 Things to Know About Planting a Clover Lawn


1. You Won't Need to Fertilize

Clover, particularly
white clover
, is the most widely-grown plant from the legume species. It is very adaptable to a range of soils and climates. As a bonus, the plant draws nitrogen from the air and into the ground, helping to support the soil and neighboring plants.
TLDR: With a clover lawn, fertilizer is rendered obsolete.

2. Clover Attracts Pollinators

clover lawn
Along with year-round green, clover also produces white, pink, or red flowers. In addition to beautifying your space, these blooms attract ample pollinators to your lawn. This is obviously great for the planet, but also something to consider should children or anyone with allergies use the lawn for regular play.

3. It Won't Replicate Turf Grass

clover lawn
While clover is more adaptable to a variety of climates than turf grass, it's a less durable option in terms of heavy foot traffic.

4. Clover Requires Minimal Mowing

Clover requires far less mowing than traditional grass. As fueling lawnmowers requires around
800 million gallons of gasoline
annually—with 17 million additional gallons spilled—this reduction in use is an environmental win.

5. Say Goodbye to Pests

clover lawn
Clover is extremely hardy, and tolerant to insect pests, eliminating the need for pesticides and harmful chemicals. Plus, the groundcover kills other weeds, crowding them out and rendering herbicides a thing of the past, too.