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Happy Turf
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Greenway Parks in Dallas is touted as a sedate, tree-lined, pastoral collection of well-kept lawns.
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When John Mullen, FAIA, decided that he no
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longer wanted to toe the line, spending time and resources mowing and watering his yard, he turned to landscape architect Kevin Sloan. They agreed that a desertlike succulent-and-gravelfilled planting plan would not be appropriate. Furthermore, native grass alternatives and sun-loving blends such as Habiturf would be less effective than usual, due to the predominance of shade on the ground. Instead, Sloan developed “Happy Turf,” a prototype for a sustainable yard, whose installation costs are offset by minimal maintenance time and cost. The design is an idiosyncratic mix of grasses, forbs, and perennials. Unlike conventional native grasses, Happy Turf will never grow above six or eight inches high. Sloan’s pointillist grid respects the tabletop smoothness of neighbors’ lawns, allowing a somewhat seamless transition from yard to yard. A year into enjoying and caring for the lawn, Mullen notes that neighbors are expressing interest in replicating his yard. “In Dallas, 80 percent of “We mowed once last spring, and we lightly watered two or three times over the summer.” Happy Turf is proving a viable alternative, though Sloan notes that it is still a work in progress. “We are considering augmenting the base grass mix to include some other species in hopes of increasing the density,” he said.
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replacement strategy for the trees, recognizing that soil compaction will hasten their demise. The South Mall should be viewed as a living landscape, not a tree museum — a landscape in which tree replacement is an expected and planned activity. A third option would be to keep the historical spatial structure but replace the Celebration Bermuda grass with a native species while also
All good design needs to balance several factors, including use, cost, aesthetics, ecology, and maintenance. The drought has illustrated the need for a new ecologically based aesthetic. adopting a tree replacement strategy for the live oaks, which might include adding other tree species to enhance diversity. For example, scientists at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center have developed a native grass mix called Habiturf. The blend includes three to four native species: buffalo grass, blue grama, curly mesquite, and sometimes Texas grama. The
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advantage is that Habiturf requires far less water, fertilizer, and mowing, and attracts fewer weeds than does Bermuda grass. Although Habiturf needs less water and fertilizer, it certainly does need some. Maintenance would require a different approach, but one that would have some similarities to the steps UT Austin has already taken, such as the use of organic fertilizers. The Habiturf option would definitely conserve water. Tests done by the Wildflower Center show that Habiturf can stay green in the summer with only ½" of water twice a month. By comparison, according to the university’s South Mall Irrigation Report, the Bermuda grass there received an estimated 6.5" in August 2013. Also, if watering is stopped entirely, the grass will go dormant (but not die). The Habiturf will then green up again once water restrictions are lifted or rain arrives. However, the biggest drawback to Habiturf is its lack of tolerance of heavy foot traffic. Fourth, a radical departure from the current industrial lawn could be pursued. This approach could involve Habiturf but also mix in wildflowers. The rows of live oaks could be replaced by groups of oak motts like those that occur
PHOTO OF HAPPY TURF COURTESY KEVIN SLOAN.
water consumption goes to irrigation,” he said.
GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER LANDSCAPE 1 STONE SEEP 2 BIOSWALE 3 NATIVE TURF GRASS 4 WILDFLOWER MEADOW 5 PRAIRIE 6 STONE CHECK DAMS 7 IRRIGATION CISTERN 8 WET PRAIRIE