We might as well face it. Bluegrass will always be bluer—or is it greener?—in Kentucky. We might also pause for a moment to consider why we love calling New Mexico home. Sweeping panoramas, towering mountains, cottonwood-shaded riverbanks, coral- and rose-streaked sunsets are ours for the time we take to enjoy them. Maybe we can survive without being slaves to bluegrass.

Let’s also acknowledge that lawns are appealing, useful spaces, soothing oases durable enough to play on. The rest of the garden may be defined by its relationship to the lawn, and with enough effort and resources, lawns can be rigorously weed-free monocultures of Spartan uniformity. But these are times that try turf’s tenure. As we prioritize how much water we have for landscaping and where it might best be used, maintaining lawn grass that requires at least 36 inches of rainfall a year in a place that is lucky to see less than a third as much seems a poor investment. Forego the pesticides, fungicides, and some of the fertilizer, and with less water, effort, and expense, lawns can be a transition from home to desert and mountains, a cool place for our kids and pets to play.

In nature, diversity is the foundation of ecosystem stability, so a lawn is not natural even if native species comprise it. The uniformity fundamental to the ideal lawn is the antithesis of nature. Selecting the type of grass best adapted to your elevation, exposure, and use is the first step toward a more sustainable lawn. Another leap forward lies in preparing the soil well so that the grass can root as deeply and grow as thickly as possible to exclude weeds.

To read the complete story, please find Su Casa at your local newsstand or order it online here or by phone at 505-344-1783 or toll-free 866-256-4925.