A new-build yard outside Denver looked pristine at first, but one brutal summer showed the homeowner how expensive and water-intensive that sod lawn could be.
Instead of opting for the grass maintenance grind and trying to fix every patch of dead grass, they converted part of the space with a native garden kit that required less water and less ongoing work.
What happened?
The trouble spot was a sunny area with no established trees, where the builder-installed lawn struggled in the Colorado heat. According to House Beautiful, the homeowner began removing the thirstiest sections of the yard and replacing them with garden beds and a discounted “Garden in a Box” from Colorado nonprofit Resource Central.
Designed to simplify planting, the kit included a layout plan, guidance on spacing, and 28 drought-tolerant perennials chosen for Colorado growing conditions. Once planted, it produced a native garden with bright blooms that was already drawing bees and butterflies…