Grass question. Growing zone 7 (I think) - in the Gainesville, GA area just north of Atlanta. Have a class b/c duplex with large yard. The grass now is a hodge-podge of mostly volunteer tough grasses that grow fast. I'd like to improve the look of the place and minimize the grass-cutting during the growing season. My favorite grass is St Augustine. Like Centepede, it seeds out level at about 6-8 inches. This place, being in Oakwood (between Atlanta and Gainesville), may be almost too far north for St Augustine. Centepede or Bermuda will grow well. I don't care for the light green color of Centepede, but I like it's slow growing qualities. St Augustine and Bermuda both have a nice dark green hue. Actually, all three seed out fairly short, and will look ok in case I get a wk or so behind on my cutting - if I keep the weeds out. And then there's Fescue - not as many runners to trim, but it has to be re-seeded ever year. Any ideas on what you think might work best to create a low maintenance lawn? Or would my money be better spent upgrading the insulation?

In Los Angeles I got cited at a rental for not having a minimum of 40% of my front yard covered with grass. So I roto-tilled the soil put down amenities and installed an automatic sprinkler system. I then had SOD delivered and installed it myself.

Round 6 months later Los Angeles declared a drought. We were limited on the amount of water used to water our yards, ZERO!!! My $2,000 worth of SOD died!

From that point on, I only use seeds and limit the grass to the very front of the yard near to the street/sidewalk. The rest of the front yard I have water tolerant plants or a rock garden.

In Los Angeles I got cited at a rental for not having a minimum of 40% of my front yard covered with grass. So I roto-tilled the soil put down amenities and installed an automatic sprinkler system. I then had SOD delivered and installed it myself.

Round 6 months later Los Angeles declared a drought. We were limited on the amount of water used to water our yards, ZERO!!! My $2,000 worth of SOD died!

From that point on, I only use seeds and limit the grass to the very front of the yard near to the street/sidewalk. The rest of the front yard I have water tolerant plants or a rock garden.

Empire zoyzia is my favorite. But you may not like it.

It feels like carpet under your feet. It is slow growing (grows at half the speed of centipede). Grows mostly sideways instead of up. Requires only half the water of standard grasses. Thrives in heat (doesn't like shade).

Agree with Bermuda, mulch, or maybe bahia grass if you don't mind the tall seedheads in the summer.

What some people here do is have a mulch "yard" and put a couple stone circles with small palm trees in them to give it some appeal. You probably can't grow palm trees where you are but maybe you could do that with another type of small tree?

From day 1 in this business, I had problems keeping lawns green.

Tenants always wanted to move in to homes with green grass, and move out and leave behind dead, yellow, full of weeds lawns.

The solution: Desert style landscapes - Cacti, rocks and gravel.

I agree with Roy. Hard to go wrong with Bermuda. Here in AZ grass is difficult and expensive to keep nice. I don't know how the golf courses keep it green.