HOW TO CHOOSE LAWN & GRASS SEEDS

Groundcovers are a large group of plants that are grown to cover bare soil, or as lawn alternatives, or to fill meadows and pastures. Groundcovers are hardworking plants that serve important functions in your landscape, such as making your outdoor space more attractive, protecting and enhancing your soil, providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife, or for agricultural purposes. 

Our lawn, grass, and groundcover seeds are grouped into four categories: 

Lawn Seeds  |  Grass & Groundcover Seeds  |  Meadow Grass  |  Pasture Seeds

Plus, learn the important differences between Warm Season & Cool Season Grasses.

At American Meadows, we believe it’s time to reimagine the traditional American lawn. Traditional turf lawns and conventional lawn maintenance commonly use herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides regularly in maintenance – but those can have harmful effects on your soil health, pollinators, wildlife, and our ecosystems, as well as the people and pets who use those lawns. Not to mention the hours of noisy, gas-guzzling lawn mowing and leaf blowing that often happens every week to maintain the “perfect” lawn. 

With our lawn grass and alternative lawn solutions, we can make it better. Our lawn solutions include no-mow grass, low-growing micro clover, and flowering lawn mixes. These innovative seed mixes will help you save time, save money, and save resources, while growing a lawn that’s just all-around better. You can reduce - or totally eliminate - mowing, herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides. Not only will you save resources, but your yard will be healthier for your family and friends, and healthier for pollinators, wildlife, and the environment. Spend less time on lawn maintenance, and spend more time enjoying your outdoor space!

To Mow Or Not To Mow?

You can grow any of our lawn seed solutions as a no-mow lawn. Each product will include a “height” number to let you know how tall that seed or seed mix will grow if left un-mown. Not ready to say goodbye to your lawn mower? Any of our lawn seed solutions can be mowed as needed for the look of a trim traditional lawn. 

The American Meadows assortment of meadow grasses includes native and ornamental grasses that are grown for their aesthetic value, as well as their function in the landscape.

These grasses add year-round beauty to naturalistic landscapes, gardens, and meadows. They sway in the breeze, catch the afternoon light, and even look beautiful standing over the winter. Meadow grasses are resilient and easy to grow in a wide range of conditions - they deserve space in every yard.

Native grasses play an important role in healthy ecosystems - underground, deep root systems contribute to soil health and prevent erosion. Native grasses can be host plants for butterflies and moths, provide shelter and nesting material for birds and wildlife, and their seed heads can provide food for birds and wildlife too. Our non-GMO, neonicotinoid-free seeds mean you can grow a healthy habitat.

Pasture seeds include seed mixes and seed species designed for agricultural settings. These plants, including grasses, legumes, and more, are used for grazing livestock or wildlife in season, harvested and stored as green silage and hay, or grown as groundcovers in unused fields.

Our selection includes mixes for horses, cows, and sheep, as well as deep-rooted grasses that access vital stores of minerals from deep within the subsoil. Our high-quality, non-GMO, neonicotinoid-free seeds will make it easy to grow a pasture that offers excellent nutrition for animals and wildlife.

Grass species are divided into two groups based on their ideal growing conditions: cool season and warm season species. When selecting grass seed for your planting project, identifying cool season versus warm season growth will tell you when you'll see most growth from your grasses.

Cool season grasses grow most actively between 60°F and 75°F. Northern regions that have a cool spring and autumn, with cold winters and moderate summers are dominated by cool season grasses. Cool season grasses will go dormant in the extreme summer heat, and winter when soil temperatures are consistently below 50°F.

Warm season grasses thrive in summer temperatures between 80°F and 95°F. These grasses dominate in southern regions. Warm season grasses will go dormant in cold winter temperatures. 

For the best of both worlds, mix warm and cool season grasses to complement each other in your lawn, meadow, or pasture, for season-long growth and greenery.

American Meadows has 30+ years of experience helping people grow meadows, and these are some of the most popular purposes for planting. Here you'll also find our exclusive, 100% seed, non-GMO mixes that provide solutions to the most common growing goals and challenges. Check out deer-resistant wildflower solutions, great seeds for pollinator-friendly plantings, flowers for bouqet-ready blooms, and beyond.

Is your lawn a playground for your pets? If so, you need a lawn that’s durable enough to hold up to roughhousing - and resistant to urine spots. These grass and clover solutions are durable for high-traffic play areas, non-toxic and safe for dogs in case your pets like to nibble, resistant to dog urine so there are no brown spots, and low-growing and low-maintenance so you have more time to play with your pups.

• Lawns with Dutch White Clover or Microclover are the most resistant to pet spotting
• Fescues and Perennial Rye Grass are grasses that are most resistant to pet spotting
• Blending Fescues and Clover, as in our exclusive No Mow Lawn & Microclover Seed Mix, gives you a winning combination that resists spotting and holds up to foot (and paw) traffic.
• You can also overseed your established lawn with Clover for a puppy paradise. 

Your yard can do more to support pollinators - whether you’re growing a low-growing lawn alternative, a pasture, or cover groups for your farm or garden. American Meadows offers exclusive pollinator-friendly lawn mixes, pollinator-friendly cover crop mixes, and many flowering species with nectar-rich blooms to support pollinators. 

When shopping, use our Plant Advantages filter to find lawns and groundcovers that attract pollinators. 

Beyond nectar and pollen to nourish pollinators, your planting can provide habitat to support the full lifecycle of pollinators, birds, and wildlife.

Native grasses are the best choice for supporting the web of life in your local ecosystem.

When shopping, use our Plant Advantages filter to find native grasses.

When it comes to high-traffic areas, it’s hard to beat our lawn solutions. These include grasses such as Chewings Fescue, Hard Fescue, Creeping Red Fescue, and lawn mixes such as Low Work & Water and No Mow Lawn Grass. Adding microclover or Dutch White Clover to these grasses, or growing them our lawn mixes, will create a durable lawn that can stand up to frequent walking and playing from people and pets. 

We recommend no-mow options for slopes, such as Clover or a No-Mow Lawn Mix. Grow native perennial grasses for a habitat-friendly slope with beautiful texture. Wildflowers are also a great option for planting on a slope!

When planting, include a fast-growing annual groundcover, such as Annual Rye Grass, to help stabilize your soil and prevent erosion while perennial plants eastablish. 

When shopping for groundcovers that will provide prevent erosion, use our Advantages shopping filter to select “Erosion Control.”

As America's Better Yard Authority, American Meadows offers lawn, grass, and groundcover solutions for every challenge! When shopping, use our Shopping Filters to find the best solution for your unique growing conditions. 

Full sun is essential for most lawn and groundcover varieties, especially to encourage good seed germination. Full-sun grasses, cover crops, and other groundcovers will thrive in areas that receive at least 6+ hours of sun.

For the shadier areas of your yard, partially shaded pastures, and meadows at the edge of a woodland, you’ll want to select seeds for plants that can thrive in partial shade or full shade. 

Hard Fescue and Chewings Fescue are the best lawn grasses for shade. 

Clover, Microclover, No-Mow Lawn Seed Mix, and our exclusive No Mow Lawn & Microclover Seed Mix are the best lawn and grass seeds for partial shade.

Our exclusive Regional Native Grass Seed Mixes are carefully crafted with native grass species that are proven to thrive in your region. Great for lawn alternatives, pastures, or grassy meadows, they include both cool- and warm-season perennial grasses. Plant native grass for years of breezy movement and textural seed heads in your landscape.

In general, grasses, lawns, and groundcovers are resilient and adaptable to a wide range of soil types. If you have clay soil, sandy soil, average soil or dry soil, you will find a wide range of lawn & groundcover seeds that will thrive in your soil, without any amendments.

When shopping, use our Soil Type filters to narrow down wildflowers for your yard.

With any soil type, preparation is essential for growing seeds. Be sure to follow our How To Grow Clover & Grass Seeds Guide for the best results.

If you live in a dry climate, don’t worry! There are many drought-tolerant lawn and groundcover solutions available. Seeds will need adequate water to germinate, but once established will be able to thrive with little supplemental water. When shopping, use our Soil Moisture filters to choose Dry soil to find drought tolerant lawn, grasses, and groundcovers.

On the other hand, if your plating area is often wet or saturated, you’ll want to choose groundcovers with roots that can tolerate moist soil. When shopping, use our Soil Moisture filter to choose Moist/Wet soil.

When shopping, use our Soil Moisture filters to choose moist/wet soil.

American Meadows wildflower seeds are 100% pure seed with no fillers added, unlike many inexpensive bagged mixes that feature lots of filler. All of our seeds are non-GMO and neonicotinoid-free, so you can feel good knowing you’re growing a safe and healthy habitat. 

Plus, American Meadows seeds are backed by our Dig In Guarantee, and you can always reach out to our team of experts with questions. Our Clover & Grass Learning Center has helpful resources so you can grow with confidence. We’re here to help!  

Annual and perennial plants have different lifecycles for growth and flowering. 

Most plants in our Clover & Grass Seed selection are perennial. Perennial plants return year after year from their established root system. If they flower, the plants usually start blooming in year two.

Annual plants have a one-year life cycle, and tend to be quick-growing plants. Flowers bloom just weeks after germination. They may reseed on their own in favorable conditions, however, they’re often re-seeded each year for fresh growth.

Annuals can be used as a nurse crop (a nurse crop is an annual plant that is grown to support the establishment of a perennial plant.) To help a new lawn establish, consider sowing quick-growing annual rye grass to help prevent soil erosion while perennial grasses mature.

More and more people are becoming passionate about growing native wildflowers and native plants to support wildlife habitat in their yards. Resilient native plants are beautiful, adaptable, and connected to your local wild landscape.

Knowing the native range of a plant species will help you know what growing conditions it can grow in. Native plants have a symbiotic relationship with wildlife and local ecosystems, and native grasses play an important role in ecosystem health. Resilient native plants are adaptable and make a connection to your local wild landscape.

When shopping at American Meadows, use the Advantages filter to find grass seeds that are native to North America. 

It is important to note, however, that just because a wildflower is not native, does not mean that it is invasive or harmful.

Plants that are introduced, or not native, to the United States, can also offer a host of benefits for your yard. For example, White Clover is a popular groundcover, lawn alternative, and cover crop that was introduced to North America from Europe, and has now naturalized in all of the United States. It is grown to enhance soil health, attract pollinators - especially honeybees, which are also a species that was introduced, not native to the United States. 

It is important to note, however, that just because a wildflower is not native, does not mean that it is invasive or harmful.

Wildflowers that are introduced, or not native, to the United States, can also offer a host of benefits for your yard. 

For example, introduced wildflowers can provide an important nectar and pollen source for honeybees, which are also a species that was introduced, not native to the United States. Without sufficient flowers, honeybees can outcompete native pollinators. Studies show that growing abundant and diverse flowers that provide plenty of nectar and pollen sources for pollinators will increase pollinator population and diversity in your area. 

It's also worth noting that many introduced wildflowers are favorites for cut flower gardens, and many have been cultivated to provide beautiful, long-lasting additions to wildflower gardens. 

All of our seeds are 100% pure, non-GMO, neonicotinoid-free, and backed by our Dig In Guarantee.

Digging in and nurturing plants is proven to make us happier and healthier. Growing a better yard will create a space where you can relax, unwind, and enjoy an outdoor oasis. Reducing or eliminating mowing means you can enjoy more peace and quiet, and more time connecting with the beauty of nature in your yard.

Your yard, meadow, or pasture can brighten your community with natural beauty. Plus, when you remove fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides from your yard, you’re keeping your whole community healthy.

With the right plant choices, growing grasses and groundcovers can help increase biodiversity. You can feel good knowing that you’ve added food and habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.