11 Low-Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping Ideas for Small Spaces

3. Swap Thirsty Lawns for a Creeping Thyme Carpet

I remember spending an entire summer fighting with this awkward, patchy patch of grass right under my front living room window. No matter how much expensive seed I tossed down or how often I watered it, it always looked like a mangy green rug.

Giving up on that turf grass and smothering it completely was honestly the most liberating gardening choice I have ever made.

Getting Down and Dirty with Soil Prep

Before you can throw down your beautiful new green groundcover, you have to get rid of the stubborn old grass. For a small yard, you do not need a heavy machine; just lay down thick layers of damp cardboard over the lawn and cover it with a few inches of healthy topsoil.

This simple trick smothers the old weeds naturally without using harsh chemicals, creating the absolute perfect, rich base for your new plugs. Space out your tiny creeping thyme starter plants about six inches apart, and watch them spread into a solid, lush blanket.

Enjoying the Ultimate Fragrant Living Rug

Once this gorgeous herbal carpet fills in, you can officially say goodbye to your heavy lawnmower forever. This plant tops out at just two inches tall, handles heavy foot traffic like an absolute champ, and fills the air with a sweet herbal scent whenever you step on it.

It is one of the most resilient drought tolerant plants you can use for lawn alternatives, meaning it stays vibrant and green even when summer heat waves roll through.

A sprawling green carpet looks incredible, but it looks even better when you give it some crisp, structural boundaries to walk on. Go ahead and hit that next button below, because I cannot wait to show you how to layer in gorgeous gravel and natural slate to give your small yard that high-end, designer edge!