Grass-free yards are trending as a way to embrace native plants while cutting costs and saving time on labor. However, all-rock yards aren't necessarily the best alternatives if you want to go low-maintenance.
In a Reddit post, one renter shared a photo of their landlord's shocking version of a low-maintenance yard.
The yard is entirely filled with stones, which is less than ideal because the family has three small children and two dogs.
"This is SO not what we were wanting but we don't have a choice," the renter wrote in the caption.
They wondered: "What's the best way to make safe walking and playing areas for the kids and dogs? What products can we buy to cover parts of this?"
All-rock yards aren't play-friendly because they heat up to dangerous levels on hot days and create tripping hazards for young children. They aren't aesthetically pleasing, are prone to weeds, and do nothing to benefit the natural environment.
However, there is a way to highlight rocks in a yard, such as by incorporating them alongside native plants to enhance natural beauty while minimizing water usage.
To address this issue, the renter might consider learning about local property and landscaping laws and approaching the landlord to find a compromise. Our HOA guide offers advice for people who want to work with their homeowners associations or landlords to change the rules and create mutually agreeable, eco-friendly changes to their yards.
You can find lots of inspiration on Reddit for strategically using rocks and designing a sustainable space that supports pollinators, kids, and pets.
Followers of the r/landscaping subreddit recommended that the family find another place to live because of the yard and commented about how bad the weeds will likely get between those rocks.
"A change that big should allow for a break of lease," one user wrote. "They made the yard unusable."
Another said, "My dog would lose his mind if this was my backyard."
"Take a big section of the rocks away and plant clover," someone else suggested. "It's cheap, easy to grow, and great for walking and playing on."
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