Clinton, Utah, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Earth Day approaches and water shortages become more urgent, High Country Gardens is calling on homeowners across the country to take action by participating in Reduce Your Lawn Day on May 20th. With up to 70% of U.S. household water usage going to lawn irrigation, traditional turf is quickly becoming a luxury we can’t afford. Replacing thirsty grass with sustainable landscaping—featuring drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly plants and xeriscaping—can significantly reduce water use, cut maintenance costs, and support local ecosystems. To make the transition easier, many states now offer rebates of $1–$5 per square foot to help homeowners fund their lawn replacement projects.
"We’re not just replacing lawns—we’re restoring balance, one garden at a time. We're here to help homeowners reimagine their yards—not just as places to save water but as vibrant, thriving landscapes that support pollinators, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability," says Tabar Gifford, Master Gardener and Partnership Cultivator at High Country Gardens. "Our new Learning Center and Reduce Your Lawn Day movement provides the tools, inspiration, and plant selection to make sustainable yards a reality."
Save Water, Save Money: Local Incentives to Help You Get Started
Replacing traditional turf grass is one of the most effective ways to conserve water in the landscape, and now, many states offer rebates to help fund the transition. High Country Gardens has curated four regional guides featuring lawn replacement ideas, "Get This Look" garden inspiration, and helpful links to plants that can be purchased online to make transitioning to a sustainable yard easier than ever. Each guide provides practical garden design ideas along with details on local rebate programs.
- Southern California: Transform your yard with waterwise alternatives featuring California native plants. Learn more about local turf replacement rebates here.
- Colorado: Discover stunning low-water landscaping ideas from the Colorado gardening community. Click here to find out how to qualify for rebates.
- Texas: Replace traditional turfgrass with adaptable plants that thrive in Texas. Check out financial incentives for sustainable landscaping here.
- Utah: Save water and money by creating a drought-friendly garden with native plants. Click here to explore Utah’s lawn replacement incentive programs.
Why Replace Your Lawn?
Traditional turfgrass may look green, but it’s an environmental drain. Consider this:
- 40 million acres of lawn exist in the U.S.—more than any irrigated crop.
- Up to 70% of household water is used for yard irrigation.
- Lawn equipment burns 800 million gallons of gasoline annually, contributing to air pollution.
- Billions of gallons of water are wasted maintaining non-native, high-maintenance turf.
By replacing traditional grass with drought-tolerant plants, homeowners can cut water usage, lower maintenance costs, and create biodiverse landscapes that support pollinators and local ecosystems.
Need Inspiration? Check out High Country Gardens' Photo Library of Waterwise Yard Transformations Here.
Mark Your Calendar: Reduce Your Lawn Day is May 20th
Reduce Your Lawn Day returns on May 20, 2025—a national invitation to rethink our outdoor spaces and reimagine them as thriving habitats. Whether you’re planting a small pollinator bed or rallying your block to convert a shared green space, this movement makes sustainable gardening feel accessible and highlights the power of collective action.
Last year, over 3,000 participants pledged to replace more than 10.5 million square feet of lawn with pollinator plants, meadows, and low-water landscaping. This year’s goal? Inspire 10,000 pledges to take back turf for the planet.
Reduce Your Lawn Day is supported by over 25 organizations dedicated to sustainability, water conservation, and pollinator-friendly landscapes—and the movement is still growing! High Country Gardens is actively seeking additional partners to help spread awareness and inspire more homeowners to take action.
Less Lawn, More Flowers: 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Lawn
Looking for yard ideas and garden design inspiration? Here are 10 simple planting projects to kickstart your sustainable yard transformation:
- Remove the grass along your driveway and plant an easy-to-grow native wildflower border.
- Surround your mailbox with perennials to brighten the neighborhood.
- Flip the strip! Replace the lawn between the sidewalk and the street with a mini-meadow or no-mow groundcovers.
- Carve out a flower bed to create a pollinator pit stop in your yard.
- Expand your existing flower beds by pushing out their boundaries and adding more low-growing flowers.
- Remove tough-to-trim grass along walkways and plant creeping groundcovers to create a pretty pathway.
- Build a raised bed near your house for an easy-to-access kitchen garden or cut flower garden.
- Replace the grass along your fence with a beautiful blooming border.
- Designate a corner of your yard “for the birds” with a pre-planned garden of native plants.
- Flank your front walkway with flower beds to boost your curb appeal.
Join the Movement
Start your transformation today. Visit the Lawn Replacement Rebate and & Garden Design Ideas Learning Center to explore rebate opportunities, inspiring garden ideas, and pledge to take part in Reduce Your Lawn Day on May 20th. Downloadable yard signs are available to help spread the movement—because sustainability begins in your backyard.
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About High Country Gardens:
High Country Gardens believes that sustainability begins in your backyard. Since 1993, this trusted e-commerce retailer has helped gardeners across the U.S. create habitat-rich, waterwise landscapes with curated perennials, bulbs, and pre-planned gardens. As a leader in sustainable gardening, High Country Gardens makes it easy to plant with purpose.
Find rebates and incentives for your state: https://www.highcountrygardens.com/content/waterwise/lawn-replacement-rebates
Join the Movement and Pledge to Reduce Your Lawn: https://www.highcountrygardens.com/content/sustainable-backyard/reduce-your-lawn-day
Get Inspired! View the waterwise photo library here: https://americanmeadows.imagerelay.com/sb/98d561a2-0204-4c48-a9c1-251067104638/high-country-gardens-inspiring-waterwise-yards
Support Reduce Your Lawn Day with Free Downloadable Signs: https://www.highcountrygardens.com/content/sustainable-backyard/reduce-your-lawn-day#support
Attachments
Tabar Gifford High Country Gardens 8773097333 ltabar@americanmeadows.com
