Are you looking for an alternative to your lawn that won’t need to be mown every 2-6 weeks in order to stay ornamental? Perhaps you’d also like to gain some additional ecological benefits for wildlife, but you still want to use the space and need a low-growing plant that won’t need mowing/pruning more than once per year.
If so, you’re in the right place. The three plants in this list are perfect for low-mow or no-mow lawns, and while they may not be suitable for using on the local sports oval where kids are going to be running and tackling each other on top of the field every afternoon, they can all take some light foot traffic and the odd picnic or walking over to pick up the dog poo.
Zoysia native hybrid ‘ZOY01’ PBR Trade Name Ozbreed Zen Grass®
This true grass only needs to be mown once per year, even in Brisbane’s crazy climate that usually dictates fortnightly or weekly mowing in wet, warm months. Fine, dense native Australian turf grass; low mounding habit and very low maintenance. Good in shade.
- The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.50. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/zen-grass
Dianella caerulea ‘DCNC3’ PBR Trade Name Baby Breeze™
Dwarf form of Breeze® flax lily; mat-forming and weed-suppressing with blue flowers and berries for wildlife. Has recovered from being over by trucks, so a bit of light foot traffic is no big deal. Tolerates extreme cutbacks just above the ground which is not common for the genus. Good in shade.
- Australian Plants Online: Tubestock; $8.65. https://www.australianplantsonline.com.au/dianella-baby-breeze.html
- The Plant Cellar: Pot; From $12.90. https://theplantcellar.com.au/product/dianella-baby-breeze/
Chamaemelum nobile ‘MAC01’ Trade Name Calm-o-mile™
This one takes a bit of light foot traffic, but not one for kicking a footy on top of. Low-growing fragrant chamomile; forms a mat and evokes old-world garden retreats. Good in shade or sun.
- Australian Plants Online: Tubestock; $4.95. https://www.australianplantsonline.com.au/chamaemelum-calm-o-mile.html
- The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.25. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/calm-o-mile
Liriope muscari ‘LIRF’ PBR Trade Name Isabella®
Lawn-alternative lily turf; mow once a year. Attractive pink flowers turn to black-ish berries that are beneficial for wildlife. Good in shade or sun, as well as periodic flooding and drought.
- Australian Plants Online: Tubestock; $7.95. https://www.australianplantsonline.com.au/liriope-isabella.html
- The Plant Cellar: Pot; From $9.90. https://theplantcellar.com.au/product/liriope-isabella/
Myoporum insulare ‘MYIN01’ PBR Trade Name Ground Hug™
This one is not for foot traffic as stems will snap, but you shouldn’t need to prune it to keep it under 20cm tall. Extremely low-growing boobialla groundcover forming a tight mat; drought tolerant and salt tolerant with seasonal flowers and fruits for wildlife.
- The Plant Hub: 50 mm tube; $6.95. https://theplanthub.com.au/products/ground-hug
Conclusion
If you’re going to be walking on the lawn a fair bit, go for the Zoysia above. It’s a true grass, and will re-grow quite well because true grasses like this have stem cells in their leaves, not just in the stems (like almost all other plants including those listed here). I’ve personally never seen another low-mow grass quite like it, having witnessed it pass all sorts of testing on the Ozbreed farm including moderately heavy shade, full sun, flooding, drought, frost, heat and more. The other Zoysia varieties that I have seen did not pass the test of time; you will probably see them in the borders at your local shopping centre all dried up and receding any time the weather changes.