Low-impact landscaping at the Fitch residence featuring Blue Grama Grass

A rejuvenated residential landscape in an older neighbourhood in Lethbridge, Alberta, featuring the turf alternative Blue Grama Grass. The design Integrates native plants and a vegetable plot. Potable-water-saving rain barrels as well as downspouts directed to planting beds complete the story of this resilient yard.
Why not Kentucky Bluegrass? It takes too much water to keep it green and it has extremely shallow roots, which reduces stormwater performance (i.e., the ability to keep rainfall from turning into runoff). More runoff means more strain on infrastructure and poorer water quality in our water bodies. Everyone's actions matter!
About us: The ALIDP is a non-profit society in Alberta, Canada, dedicated to advancing the implementation of land-development practices that will protect our water resources.
We are primarily funded by membership fees. Visit the Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership Society at alidp.org to learn more about us and the stormwater scene in Alberta.

[@mrmister5846]

The world needs more people like this!!!!

[@jacobgarcia5675]

Any issues growing Blue Grama in the partial shade of your front yard?

[@AlidpOrg]

Good question. Blue Grama is not known for its shade tolerance. Sheep's Fescue will handle partial shade.

[@melissamybubbles6139]

I want to seed blue gramma into Kentucky bluegrass. Can I do that? Can I still have crocus and other lawn bulbs in a blue gramma grass lawn?

[@AlidpOrg]

Sorry I missed this question! You can always try to overseed into an existing lawn but it can be difficult to succeed. The challenge is getting good seed-to-soil contact. You might try vigorous raking or other ways of exposing areas of soil and firmly pressing (stomping or rolling) the seed in. Watering every single day for 2 weeks and very often thereafter until the plants are established is key. As Blue Grama is a warm-season grass (doesn't green up until the temperatures get warmer), the advice to seed in the cool fall or spring is not the case for Blue Grama. Seed through the summer for immediate germination. You can always add bulbs! Blue-eyed grass is an interesting one.

[@momme5301]

Blue Grama is a bunch grass. What are the other grasses within the Blue Grama?

[@AlidpOrg]

There is only Blue Grama. It is a bunchgrass but has short tillers which make it sod-like "enough'. Doesn't look whorly like the fescues at all. Good clarification.