A grassy green lawn requires lots of water and those that look like golf courses are often treated with earth-unfriendly chemicals. There are lots of grassless options out there like native plantings, gravel ground covering stone pavers. Many grass-free solutions require very little maintenance and little (or no) water for drought-prone locations. Here, we've rounded up just a few of our favorite grassless yards from around the web...

• 1 by Galbraith and Associates landscape architects

• 2 Sunset magazine. Image: Steven Gunther

• 3 by Pink Shovel Landscapes

• 4 this "yard" is almost purely architectural, via Australia's HomeOne forum

• 5 the front yard of the Schipani's DC residence, from Schipani Degan Blog

posted originally from: AT:San Francisco