When I moved into my home in the mid-1970s, it was brand new on a good-sized but totally empty patch of ground on a hillside.

We were in the midst of a severe drought, so traditional lawns were out of the question — and for reasons besides just water. I put in lots of hardscape, like patios, retaining walls and decks, with limited planting areas and lots of container gardening. Over the years, I have replaced some of the “harder” hardscapes, like a concrete patio, with more porous materials to enable more water absorption into the ground when we are blessed with rain.

Over those same years, through several droughts and growing environmental concerns, I watched my neighbors and friends with lawns tire of the continual struggle to maintain a healthy, attractive lawn as well as justify their greedy thirst for water — and chemicals — in a climate where limited water is a reality. The need and desire for alternatives to traditional lawns have grown, but luckily, so have good options. (Bear in mind that artificial grass has so far been proven not to be one of them.)

Removing a lawn is relatively easy and can be fun. The best way is just a matter of laying down cardboard, compost and mulch and smothering it, creating a new, fresh planting area that becomes a canvas on which to paint an entirely different and more interesting landscape. But the real fun lies in imagining your new space, and how you would like to use it, or view it, and choosing the right materials and plants to create it. It can be the perfect time to introduce natives to your garden, which will attract bees, butterflies and other beneficials, or plant herbs, edibles and bulbs amongst native ornamental grasses. Combine different mini-gardens zoned by similar water needs and separated by stepping stones tucked into low groundcovers or by privacy hedges hiding a secluded bench. Or how about creating that truly low-maintenance, low-water landscape you’ve been talking about for years, perhaps using rocks, stones and succulents, including cacti and agave? It can be done.

But, you find yourself loving the look of your traditional lawn and/or appreciating its usefulness as a wonderful gathering spot for kids, pets and your family to enjoy. The good news is that many grasses can replace the water-guzzling, maintenance-intensive varieties of the past. Among the choices are native California bentgrass (Agrostis densiflora) and biofiltration sod, which is a mixture of native Molate fescue (Festuca rubra), California barley (Hordeum californicum), meadow barley (Hordeum brachyantherum) and purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra). Both require much less water and care and can be mowed to be used like a more conventional lawn. I would also look into UC verde buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) and zoysia grasses, although these grasses will turn brown — or golden, if you prefer — in the winter.

There are many low-growing grasses that can attractively fill the expanse where the lawn used to be. Western meadow sedge (Carex praegracilis) can tolerate occasional flooding or standing water as it is naturally found in marshes and wetlands. It’s a good lawn substitute as it can be mowed, will take sun and part sun, and uses much less water in summer than typical sod. California meadow sedge (Carex pansa) stays 6 inches or under and spreads to 2 feet by rhizomes. It requires a fair amount of water to get going, but once desired coverage is reached, water requirements are close to zero. While I wouldn’t stage a family football game on either of these native grasses, both are considered “walkable,” as are many other grasses and groundcovers.

If water-wise grasses are your choice to replace an old lawn, a good online source is our website at marinmg.ucanr.edu.

Sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension, the University of California Marin Master Gardeners provides science- and research-based information for Marin home gardeners. Email questions to helpdesk@marinmg.org. Attach photos for inquiries about plant pests or diseases. Please call 415-473-4910 to see when a master gardener will be at the office or drop off samples 24/7 in the sample box outside the office. To attend a gardening workshop or subscribe to Leaflet, a free quarterly e-newsletter, go to marinmg.ucanr.edu.