What started as a goal to save water turned into a beautiful, wildlife-friendly landscape and a new way to connect with the neighborhood.

The idea of replacing a lawn with a waterwise landscape sounds exciting. Less water, more flowers, and a yard full of pollinators? Yes, please! However, figuring out where to start, what to plant, and how to bring it all together can feel overwhelming.

Kristi had been thinking about replacing her lawn ever since she and her husband first moved into their home. With roughly 2,000 square feet of grass in the front yard alone, she knew she could make a meaningful difference in their water use.

As a high school environmental science teacher and outdoor enthusiast, Kristi teaches her students about water conservation and wanted her own landscape to reflect the values she shared in her classroom. Lawn replacement was one action she knew she could take to make a difference.

Starting Small and Building Confidence

Although Kristi’s front yard transformation was a big undertaking, her journey into waterwise landscaping started much smaller.

When she first moved into her home, Kristi had virtually no gardening experience. She and her husband started by making changes to their backyard, then moved to their side yard. Along the way they started to learn what worked and what didn’t!

Resource Central’s Garden In A Box program helped them get started, introducing them to waterwise plants and giving them the confidence to tackle bigger projects.

By the time they were ready to transform the front yard, they had a better understanding of which plants they loved, which ones thrived in their landscape, and what they wanted their future yard to look like.

They also spent plenty of time walking through neighborhoods, admiring other waterwise landscapes, flipping through gardening books, and exploring plant lists for inspiration.

Because the front yard was so large, they decided to work with a professional landscape designer to help bring their ideas together. Their priorities went beyond removing grass. They wanted a landscape that provided food for birds, nectar for pollinators, shelter for wildlife, and colorful blooms throughout the growing season.

The result? A landscape designed to support the local ecosystem while creating a beautiful space they could enjoy for years to come.

Taking the Leap

Kristi admits that the hardest part wasn’t choosing plants or figuring out irrigation. It was simply taking the leap to get started.

Knowing they wanted to make a long-term investment, Kristi and her husband spent time saving for their large front yard transformation. They also found creative ways to manage costs, including repurposing pavers from their backyard and choosing plants that were easy to source.

“The hardest part of the process was taking the leap … plants are a big investment.”

Once they were ready, Resource Central’s Lawn Replacement program helped turn their plans into action. Kristi described the grass removal process as “so much quicker and more painless than I thought it was going to be.”

With the grass out of the way, they could focus on bringing their new landscape to life. They converted their existing sprinkler system to drip irrigation, installed plants, and worked together to strike a balance between a wild, natural garden and a more manicured landscape.

Although Kristi and her husband tackled their entire front yard at once, she encourages others to start at whatever scale feels manageable. “Even starting small, right? It’s taking, like, choosing a section of your yard that you want to convert and trying that out and seeing how that goes.”

A Little More Color, A Lot More Life

Kristi didn’t have to wait long to see the rewards of their new landscape. Their newly planted plum tree even produced a few plums right away that fall of 2025! But the real excitement came the following spring of 2026.

“Since this was our first spring with the new yard, seeing all of the different plants blooming, all of the different bloom times, it just felt like every day I’d go out in the yard and it was like something new to see, which was really fun.”

From early-blooming pasqueflowers to native daisies, Kristi’s yard now offers something new to admire throughout the growing season. And the flowers aren’t the only ones enjoying the transformation!

“The fact that we get to enjoy flowers all season and also that I get to enjoy the pollinators that are enjoying my plants all season has been one of my favorite parts.”

Growing More Than A Garden

One of the most unexpected benefits of Kristi’s new landscape has been the way it’s brought her closer to her neighbors.

With flowers to admire and plants to tend, she now spends more time in her front yard, whether she’s gardening, relaxing, or simply enjoying the view.

“I do spend more time out here in front, and it’s really helped me to get to know my neighbors, which has been really sweet.”

Neighbors regularly stop to compliment the yard, ask questions about the plants, or learn how she made the transformation happen. What started as a personal water conservation project has become an opportunity to share ideas and inspire others.

“I feel like I’ve also inspired my neighbors a little bit because people will come by and ask about if I did it and how I did it.”

Those conversations are a reminder that waterwise landscaping can do more than conserve water. It can create connections between people, support local wildlife, and inspire positive changes throughout a community.

Is Lawn Replacement Worth It?

For Kristi, the answer is an enthusiastic yes!

“Looking back on the project, it was 100% worth it to move forward with it.”

Her advice for anyone considering lawn replacement is simple: find helpful resources, start with a manageable project, and don’t let the idea of a complete transformation hold you back.

Whether you’re ready to replace your entire lawn or just a small patch of grass, every waterwise landscaping project is an opportunity to conserve water, support pollinators, and create something beautiful.

And who knows? You might even get to know your neighbors a little better along the way!

Ready to take the leap? Resource Central’s Lawn Replacement program can help you get started by taking care of one of the biggest steps: removing your grass. Explore the program at resourcecentral.org/lawn.

Not ready for a full lawn transformation? Our Garden In A Box program is another great way to start small, build confidence, and bring beautiful waterwise plants into your landscape.