Idk if this will be a controversial opinion or not, but I think there are a couple issues with what you're asking for. First, there aren't really any native plants (grasses, clover, etc.) that are going to give you a lawn mowed look. Second, even if there were, I don't believe there would be a lot of benefit to having a native lawn if you wanted to keep it mowed. Native grasses, sedges, and ground covers are hosts for insects, nesting sites for insects and birds, and their seeds/fruits provide food for animals. If that were mowed, it would only provide a small fraction of their ecological potential. For me I try to first reduce lawn and create new garden patches. Then with the yard I keep I supplement it with Dutch white clover. I also keep certain spaces with minimal flowers because my kids sometimes don't have shoes and step on bees. Answer from robsc_16 on reddit.com
Illinois Extension
extension.illinois.edu › blogs › ilriverhort › 2015-04-10-lawn-alternatives
Lawn Alternatives | ILRiverHort | Illinois Extension | UIUC
April 10, 2015 - Cedar sedge (Carex eburnean) is described as producing three inch tall "pocket-sized emerald green tufts of hair-like leaves" that form a dense mat in dry, shady places. Oak sedge (Carex albicans) is a "shade to part sun-loving sedge that grows 8-10 inches on dry to moist soils."
Reddit
reddit.com › r/nativeplantgardening › native lawn grass for northern illinois?
r/NativePlantGardening on Reddit: Native Lawn Grass for Northern Illinois?
October 24, 2021 -
Hi, so I desire to have a lawn in Northern IL but also desire native plants. Are there any kinds of grasses or mix to use so I can that mowed lawn look?
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Idk if this will be a controversial opinion or not, but I think there are a couple issues with what you're asking for. First, there aren't really any native plants (grasses, clover, etc.) that are going to give you a lawn mowed look. Second, even if there were, I don't believe there would be a lot of benefit to having a native lawn if you wanted to keep it mowed. Native grasses, sedges, and ground covers are hosts for insects, nesting sites for insects and birds, and their seeds/fruits provide food for animals. If that were mowed, it would only provide a small fraction of their ecological potential. For me I try to first reduce lawn and create new garden patches. Then with the yard I keep I supplement it with Dutch white clover. I also keep certain spaces with minimal flowers because my kids sometimes don't have shoes and step on bees.
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How much sun do you have? Buffalo grass is possible, it'll take some time though
Videos
02:49
Q&A – What can I do to get native grasses to thrive here in ...
01:30
Native Plants for a Lawn Alternative - YouTube
31:04
A LOW MOW, NATIVE LAWN? Sign Us Up! — Ep. 044 - YouTube
16:47
How to Replace Your Lawn with Native Groundcovers! Full 1 Year ...
23:05
Best Lawn Alternatives for Hot Climates - YouTube
10:54
3 Sustainable Lawn Alternatives (for Cold Climates) - YouTube
WTTW Chicago
news.wttw.com › 2024 › 11 › 11 › turf-grass-america-s-default-lawn-setting-chicago-researchers-are-rethinking
Turf Grass Is America’s Default Lawn Setting. Chicago Researchers Are Rethinking the Possibilities | Chicago News | WTTW
November 11, 2024 - Researchers Liz Anna Kozik and Becky Barak at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s lawn alternatives test site, photographed in October 2024. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Illinois, along with much of the rest of the Midwest, might look like corn and soybean country.
Beginner Gardening:Illinois Native Groundcover/lawn replacement suggestions?
A thread in the Beginner Gardening forum, titled Illinois Native Groundcover/lawn replacement suggestions? More on davesgarden.com
Overlooked native plants with ornamental potential
Often gardeners and landscape architects seem to have a fixation for few, very famous and usually non-native species for public green spaces. Some of these species are alien and potentially invasive, others may be allergenic. Some require narrow environmental conditions and sometimes tend to ... More on forum.inaturalist.org
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June 22, 2023Help me turn my Chicago 6a lawn into a native lawn!
Take a look at purple prairie clover, Dalea purpurea, N fixing and Dr. Seuss vibe flowers! I'm thinking about this because I see a non-native white clover so this would fill that niche More on reddit.com
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May 25, 2024Native Lawn Grass for Northern Illinois?
Idk if this will be a controversial opinion or not, but I think there are a couple issues with what you're asking for. First, there aren't really any native plants (grasses, clover, etc.) that are going to give you a lawn mowed look. Second, even if there were, I don't believe there would be a lot of benefit to having a native lawn if you wanted to keep it mowed. Native grasses, sedges, and ground covers are hosts for insects, nesting sites for insects and birds, and their seeds/fruits provide food for animals. If that were mowed, it would only provide a small fraction of their ecological potential. For me I try to first reduce lawn and create new garden patches. Then with the yard I keep I supplement it with Dutch white clover. I also keep certain spaces with minimal flowers because my kids sometimes don't have shoes and step on bees. More on reddit.com
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October 24, 2021University of Illinois Extension
extension.illinois.edu › lawns › trends-home-lawn-care
Trends in Home Lawn Care | Lawns | Illinois Extension | UIUC
This is often done in early spring to remove the dead grass from the previous year. Often this will require raking up the excess amount of clippings so as to not smother the lawn for the current year’s growth. Other no mow lawn options include buffalograss which is a native shortgrass prairie species.
Chicago Botanic Garden
chicagobotanic.org › blog › plant-science-conservation › how-scientists-are-rethinking-lawns
How scientists are rethinking lawns—and how you can, too | Chicago Botanic Garden
March 16, 2023 - The alternatives include fine fescue as a grass alternative, two microclover plots (microclover alone and seeded into grass), a sedge lawn, two short-growing meadow mixes (a low-diversity option and a high-diversity option with more species), ...
Sheldon Landscape
sheldonlandscape.com › home › uncategorized › popular lawn alternatives in the midwest you should know about
Popular Lawn Alternatives in the Midwest - Sheldon Landscape
July 15, 2024 - Converting some of your lawn space ... thing happening in your front yard. You could start by converting just a portion of yard space to Illinois or Wisconsin style prairie....
Epic Gardening
epicgardening.com › home › 13 best native lawn alternatives for your landscape
13 Best Native Lawn Alternatives for Your Landscape
February 19, 2024 - Iris cristata, commonly known as dwarf crested iris, is a native lawn alternative from the eastern US. Growing in woodland habitats, this is another lawn replacement option for shady gardens or areas under dense trees.
Dave's Garden
davesgarden.com › community › forums › t › 1313585
Beginner Gardening:Illinois Native Groundcover/lawn replacement suggestions?
Invasive native species are fine by me, I want it to take over the spotty, awful, crunchy old grass eventually. Post #9527133 · Quote · themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) May 20, 2013 · Here is some general and specific info for you...hope this helps http://urbanext.illinois.edu/groundcovers/tips.cfm http://www.stepables.com/ http://urbanext.illinois.edu/groundcovers/directory/index.cfm http://urbanext.illinois.edu/lawnchallenge/lesson2a.html This lists all native plant recommendations for Illinois http://www.wildflower.org/collections/collection.php?start=0&collection=IL&pagecount=10&pagecount=50 ·
Facebook
facebook.com › groups › chicagogardens › posts › 3271721512981958
What are good alternatives to grass for a lawn in Chicago?
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LawnLove
lawnlove.com › home › types of no-mow grass alternatives
Types of No-Mow Grass Alternatives
March 26, 2025 - Some types of no-mow grass alternatives ... and native plants, moss, groundcovers, succulents, and xeriscaping. Many of these options are also low-maintenance when it comes to things like fertilization and watering.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
news.maryland.gov › dnr › 2019 › 06 › 14 › lawn-alternatives
Lawn Alternatives
June 14, 2019 - Traditional lawns, described as ... lawns also support few wildlife species. To help local wildlife, consider replacing non-native grass lawns with native alternatives....
University of Chicago
mag.uchicago.edu › law-policy-society › rip-out-your-lawn
Rip out your lawn
Adelman offers alternatives in the book, including blue grama, also known as grama grass; buffalograss; and various sedges, rushes, and ground covers, some of which can be mowed and none of which require the amount of service Kentucky bluegrass does.
Wildones
northalabama.wildones.org › native-lawn
Native Lawn – Wild Ones North Alabama Chapter
I was not aware of Danthonia before ... range), while living in Illinois; this grass looked great mixed with Echinacea pallida and liatris species. Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a warm season grass commonly used as a native lawn ...
Outdoor Illinois Journal
outdoor.wildlifeillinois.org › articles › landscaping-with-native-grasses
Outdoor Illinois Journal: Landscaping with Native Grasses
February 1, 2023 - River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is another smaller (1.5-4 feet tall) grass, native to southern Illinois, that works well in a wide range of light and soil conditions. It has a neat and interesting seed structure, similar to oats, that matures ...
iNaturalist Community Forum
forum.inaturalist.org › nature talk
Overlooked native plants with ornamental potential - Nature Talk - iNaturalist Community Forum
June 22, 2023 - Often gardeners and landscape architects seem to have a fixation for few, very famous and usually non-native species for public green spaces. Some of these species are alien and potentially invasive, others may be allergenic. Some require narrow environmental conditions and sometimes tend to ...
Chicago Botanic Garden
chicagobotanic.org › research › lawn-alternatives-research-chicago-botanic-garden-and-beyond
Lawn Alternatives Research at Chicago Botanic Garden and Beyond | Chicago Botanic Garden
At Chicago Botanic Garden, we have treatments ranging from traditional turfgrass lawns, to fine fescue lawns which should require less water and mowing, to diverse lawns that incorporate native grasses and wildflowers). Based the result of our research, we will be able to provide information about the benefits associated with different lawn alternatives to aid in their decision making.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/nativeplantgardening › help me turn my chicago 6a lawn into a native lawn!
r/NativePlantGardening on Reddit: Help me turn my Chicago 6a lawn into a native lawn!
May 25, 2024 -
I’m aiming to get rid of all my grass, so I’d really like a lot of ground coverage. Any suggestions? My area is zone 6a according to the internet.
I have cone flowers, butterfly weed, sedum, sunflowers, and black eyed Susan’s.
I’ll buy seeds or plants, but I just want to get started!
I’m chopping down this big bush (just chopped the other one and am really motivated to get rid of the second one now to plant natives)
Thank you!
Top answer 1 of 5
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Take a look at purple prairie clover, Dalea purpurea, N fixing and Dr. Seuss vibe flowers! I'm thinking about this because I see a non-native white clover so this would fill that niche
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Possibilityplace.com I'm midwest, it's my go too for natives, I'd recommend looking at plants to match your soil and sunlight you get in your lawn I love brown eyed Susan, flowers are smaller but plant is taller, it's just flowers I love grasses, and sedges too to fill in
Rethinking Lawns
rethinkinglawns.com
Rethinking Lawns – Exploring lawn alternatives for biodiversity support, climate change resilience, and infrastructure improvements
Lawn grass is just one species of thousands we could plant in our cities. What if we tried something else? Experts from Chicago Park District, Chicago Botanic Garden, and other institutions are trying out different plants we think will work. The plant mixes in this experiment include our native prairie flowers & grasses.
Quora
quora.com › What-low-maintenance-plant-can-I-use-to-replace-the-grass-of-my-front-lawn
What low maintenance plant can I use to replace the grass of my front lawn? - Quora
Answer (1 of 16): There is a wide variety of lower maintenance plants or other alternatives that can be used as a substitute for your grass. What it really comes down to is aesthetic preferences, but here is a list of those that I would recommend to choose from: wood chips or bark, gravel, mulch/...
Patch
patch.com › illinois › glenellyn › bp--say-goodbye-to-the-front-yard
Say Goodbye to the Front Yard | Glen Ellyn, IL Patch
October 25, 2011 - The standard front yard is changing, and becoming more eco-friendly. And there are so many alternatives!