Dog-Friendly Landscaping Without Grass

Ground Covers

• Replacing grass with ground cover eliminates mowing and fills in empty spaces; these spreading plants grow much wider than they do tall, helping prevent erosion and run-off. Dog-friendly varieties include cinquefoil (Potentila fruticosa), a deciduous ground cover that spreads to 5 feet wide. Cinquefoil blooms from spring through fall with flowers in a range of colors, from yellow to pink. It's hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7 and thrives in sunny sites with well-draining soil. Moss phlox (Phlox sublata) is safe for dogs and creates a carpet of dark, evergreen foliage. In spring, this spreading ground cover blooms with white, pink, purple and scarlet flowers. Moss phlox is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 8 and grows in sunny sites with well-draining, sandy or rocky soil.

Trees

• Create shaded areas where your pooch can play and rest by planting dog-safe, nontoxic trees. The amur maple (Acer ginnala) grows to 30 feet tall and 25 feet wide, so it won't overwhelm a small yard. In fall, the amur maple's foliage turns bright red. This deciduous tree is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and grows in sun to shade and a variety of soils. Some trees don't thrive when planted in competition with turf grass, such as the Candian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7, this dog-safe conifer grows up to 70 feet tall with a 30-foot spread and produces dense, soft needles on ascending branches. It grows well in sunny to partially shaded sites with moist, acidic soil.

Shrubs

• Shrubs help define borders within the landscape -- an especially helpful trait when grass isn't grown -- and keep dogs away from tender flowers. Pet-safe shrubs include the red bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinis), which provides year-round color and screening with its evergreen foliage. Reaching heights of 15 feet, this large shrub or small tree blooms with bright red blossoms from spring through summer. It's hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 and grows best in full sun and well-draining soil. The camellia (Camellia japonica) is also nontoxic and blooms with showy, fragrant white, pink and red spring flowers. This evergreen features dark, lustrous foliage and grows to 15 feet tall. Camellias are hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9 and thrive in moist, acidic sites in full sun to partial shade.

Perennials

• Add seasonal color to the landscape with beds of dog-friendly perennials instead of grass. Add a layer of cedar chip mulch to help prevent moisture loss; avoid cocoa mulch, as it can be toxic to dogs. Coral bells, also known as heuchera or alumroot (Heuchera sanguina), grow to 3 feet tall and bloom in spring in a range of colors, from red-orange to white. Deadheading flowers encourages a second bloom in summer. These perennials are hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and grow in sun to partial shade. Turflily (Liriope muscari) has grass-like foliage, but this perennial produces wider fronds than turf grass. Turfily grows in 18-inch-tall clumps and blooms with purple-blue blossoms in fall. Hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10, turflily may grow through the winter in warmer climates.