Designer: Converting a typical Utah bluegrass yard can save about 100,000 gallons a year

Salt Lake City designer Daryl Lindsay urged homeowners in a Utah Division of Water Resources webinar to plan conversions away from water-intensive bluegrass toward denser, native plantings that dramatically reduce irrigation needs.

Lindsay, founder and principal designer of Yard Farmer, said a full-property conversion of a typical quarter- to third-acre Kentucky bluegrass lawn can “save somewhere around a 100,000 gallons per year,” and described how modest numbers of conversions quickly scale as collective savings. He added that his own converted front yard saves about “90,000 gallons.”

The presentation stressed a practical, three-part approach: observe the property and map microclimates; plan circulation and activity zones so lawn remains functional where desired; and group plants by water needs. “Map where your feet will go,” Lindsay said, arguing that lawn should be a planned room connected to pathways and patios rather than wall-to-wall turf.

Lindsay warned against common pitfalls: wide swaths of exposed gravel or mulch invite weeds, landscape fabric can compact soil and encourage weed growth on top, and mixing plants with very different water needs creates inefficient irrigation demands. He recommended dense plantings to act as living mulch, cautious use of pre-emergent herbicides, and avoiding invasive species often sold at big-box retailers.

On irrigation, Lindsay recommended high-efficiency pop-up sprinklers for retained lawn areas and drip irrigation for planting beds. He favored simple half-inch drip lines laid in left-right runs and lightly buried so they can be accessed for maintenance. He also described a passive rainwater-harvesting approach—grading beds to capture runoff—that can work for homeowners willing to accept little or no supplemental irrigation but may not qualify for certain rebate programs.

Host Candace Scheible of the Utah Division of Water Resources told viewers about a landscape incentive that offers up to $3 per square foot for lawn replaced with water-efficient landscaping and advised, “If you are planning to participate in that program, big tip, do not kill or remove your lawn until your project has been approved,” so the state can verify living lawn in the project area.

Lindsay closed with links to resources (slowtheflow.org, localscapes.com, utahwatersavers.com, theconservationgardenpark.org) and recommended patience: conversions typically require greater maintenance the first two to three seasons before settling into lower, curatorial upkeep.

The webinar moved to audience questions after Lindsay’s presentation; topics included microclimate succession as trees mature, sun-path mapping apps, early-blooming plants to add seasonal interest, and technical irrigation installation timing. The session ended with a reminder about follow-up materials and a survey sent by the Division.