Morrison letter: Low-water landscaping

I was paging through Treasure magazine and interested in reading about the extremely energy-efficient home. Loved the article, learned about some new products, thought the house was beautiful. Then I saw the yard — one step forward on the house, two steps backward on the huge sodded grass lawn. How about a small patch for kids and pets and then native or low-water landscaping? Also most people don’t realize that a sodded lawn requires so much more water than seeding it. Water in the West is our most precious resource. To truly be a steward of the plant energy efficiency is great, but conservation is key.

I’ve tried to offer low-water lawns and buyers hate it. They all want sod, so I have compromised with seeding the lawn. Maybe if the norm becomes desert scapes similar to homes in Arizona and native plants, then buyers will understand our limited resources and the cost savings. We moved into and remodeled our home by Sunset Park last summer. In about two weeks, we’ll start the landscaping. There won’t be one inch of grass. I invite you to drive down 32nd Street and see if you might make a change.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 4:19 PM with the headline "Morrison letter: Low-water landscaping."