As we gear up for St. Patrick’s Day in Knoxville, Tenn., I thought I’d share some of my favorite Irish-inspired landscaping ideas. From lawn replacement plants to gold pops of color, these ideas will have your yard ready for next year’s St. Paddy’s Day party:

Clover (Not the Marshmallow Kind!)

Clover is a forage crop that’s easy to grow. Just take a look outside and see how much you have in your lawn without even trying! The secret is that clover also makes a great lawn substitute. It’s drought tolerant, stays short enough that’s you won’t have to mow often and requires very little maintenance. To plant a clover lawn, you’ll have to start it from seed. I recommend mixing the tiny seeds with sand and using a broadcast spreader for good coverage. It grows well in full sun to partial shade. The best time to seed is in the spring just as you would with traditional grass.

Irish Moss

Irish Moss is a groundcover plant that grows well in partial shade to full sun. I like to use it planted in the joints of a flagstone path, or as a small lawn substitute. As you can imagine, Irish Moss creates a soft, fluffy mat that will have you walking barefoot in your yard or on your patio. This plant will produce a small white flower that’s very fragrant. It only gets about an inch tall, so if you’re using it as a lawn replacement, there’s need to mow. The only maintenance it needs is some water during extreme heat waves. For our friends in wooded areas, this is a great choice because it’s also deer resistant!

Rad Rainbow Design

If you’re looking for a powerful punch of color, get your inspiration from a rainbow and opt for large bands of bright colors. Consider plants such as spring bulbs; perrenials such as Black-Eyed Susan, Cone Flower and Red Hot Poker; or shrubs such as Blue Star Juniper, Loropetalum and Gold Mop Cypress.

Pot O’ Gold Plant Pairings

Pairing lush emerald green plants with yellow accents can be an incredibly striking look. Check out this blog post to see one such pairing we found on the Dogwood Arts Trail in 2014. If you’re trying to get this lucky look at home, use shrubs such as Forsythia or Winter Jasmine. Carolina Jessamine will also add a pop of color to your green space.

Get the Look

If you’re ready for an Irish green backyard makeover or new pops of color in your outdoor space, give me a call at 865-765-5550 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.