Phoenix area yards (sale, HOA, homes)

[wase4711]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

I like a small area of grass better for the dog to use the bathroom. If you let them use rocks exclusively the area will start to smell. With grass you’re watering it and cutting it so it mitigates it.

you can just rinse the rocks off with water once a week, and that solves that...and, of course, completely pick up after them, that goes without saying..

[asufan]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

I like a small area of grass better for the dog to use the bathroom. If you let them use rocks exclusively the area will start to smell. With grass you’re watering it and cutting it so it mitigates it.

I disagree, it's much easier to pick up dog waste from gravel than grass. With grass, if the water comes on before you have a chance to clean it up, you know what happens. I like to keep the grass clean for my kids, the gravel is for the dog.

[Minntoaz]

There are some areas that are much greener, Ocotillo is very green and they actually do NOT allow fake grass - only the real stuff. To me that was even a little overboard (considering AZ doesn’t really have the water to spare but I’m guessing they recycled it somewhat). In my opinion it’s a matter of time before they start cracking down on water usage in Phoenix, that is unless they come up with a more innovative plan on how to recycle water. One could list every benefit in the world to gravel but having been around lush green natural grass for most of life, having a gravel yard just wouldn’t work.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Minntoaz

There are some areas that are much greener, Ocotillo is very green and they actually do NOT allow fake grass - only the real stuff. To me that was even a little overboard (considering AZ doesn’t really have the water to spare but I’m guessing they recycled it somewhat). In my opinion it’s a matter of time before they start cracking down on water usage in Phoenix, that is unless they come up with a more innovative plan on how to recycle water. One could list every benefit in the world to gravel but having been around lush green natural grass for most of life, having a gravel yard just wouldn’t work.

I'll never convert to a rock yard or xeriscape, regardless of all the pleas from the intrusive bureaucrats and desert lovers who are convinced that grass lawns & trees waste so much water. Funny how many of the anti grass types can't live without their swimming pools, which makes them pure hypocrites on the water issue. The day that all pools, car washes, and water parks are eliminated is the day that I'll get rid of my grass.

[Elna Rae]

Anyone have experience with Dichondra? As kids growing up in the hot summers here we would always seek out the Dichondra patches on our lawn because it was soft and cool.

Not really concerned whether dog poop sticks to it or not. It would just be used as ground covering that adds green to our backyard.

[Bates419]

I must be a weirdo as a Northerner with an AZ home, I couldn't wait to have a house without the hassle of grass. Give me hassle free palm trees and cacti anyday. I so enjoyed the cleanliness of no grass that I did turf around my pool up North. Win win

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Bates419

I must be a weirdo as a Northerner with an AZ home, I couldn't wait to have a house without the hassle of grass. Give me hassle free palm trees and cacti anyday. I so enjoyed the cleanliness of no grass that I did turf around my pool up North. Win win

No hassle at all (grass is in the front yard). I hire a landscaper every two weeks or $100 a month.

[Bates419]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

No hassle at all (grass is in the front yard). I hire a landscaper every two weeks or $100 a month.

And I hire no one. No water to pay for either

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by Minntoaz

There are some areas that are much greener, Ocotillo is very green and they actually do NOT allow fake grass - only the real stuff. To me that was even a little overboard (considering AZ doesn’t really have the water to spare but I’m guessing they recycled it somewhat). In my opinion it’s a matter of time before they start cracking down on water usage in Phoenix, that is unless they come up with a more innovative plan on how to recycle water. One could list every benefit in the world to gravel but having been around lush green natural grass for most of life, having a gravel yard just wouldn’t work.

This is such misinformation. There are a ton of threads on water usage and the availability of water in AZ. Sure you want to do your part and conserve but even with the influx of people moving to AZ our water usage has been relatively flat. It actually decreased from 227 gallons per person/per day in 2000 to 181 gallons per person/per day in 2015 (USGS Usage numbers)

Even if the Colorado River (Lake Mead) becomes a dead source for us, it is not like we don't have other alternatives.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by Bates419

And I hire no one. No water to pay for either

Houses with xeriscape sell for significantly less in my neck of the woods due to lower curb appeal and cost to remodel landscaping and I think the yards look like hell. I could see it work in an area where xeriscape is the norm and that may be the case in your neighborhood, but in my area the market seems to prefer at least a little grass, lots of trees, palms, flowers, potted plants, etc.