It’s Time for Texas HOAs to Let Go of the 1950s Lawn Dream

Across Texas, countless homeowners’ associations are still clinging to a landscape aesthetic born in the 1950s. Endless stretches of manicured turf, a few token shrubs, and maybe a pair of live oaks placed with military precision. It is a look meant to evoke order and prosperity, but in today’s world, it is wasteful, outdated, and downright unsustainable.

The Problem with the “Turfbox”

Lawns are the most demanding plant in the landscape. They demand fertilizers and pesticides that run off into waterways and poison the ecosystems that keep our land healthy. They require endless mowing and maintenance for the sake of conformity. And when trees mature, and do what they are meant to do, provide shade, the grass beneath them dies, and frustrated homeowners are told to replace it again and again.

This obsession with sterile landscapes has boxed us in. It is time to think outside the turfbox.

The Case for Native and Well-Adapted Plants

Texas is blessed with an incredible range of native and adapted species. Plants that thrive in our soils, survive our droughts, and support pollinators and wildlife. They are beautiful, resilient, and diverse. By embracing them, we not only save water but also create vibrant, living landscapes that change with the seasons and tell the story of where we live.

Rewriting the Rules

Homeowners have more power than they realize. It is time to take control of HOAs and update outdated bylaws that punish sustainable landscaping. The goal is not chaos, it’s adaptation. Smart design. Ecology in action. An HOA that reflects the community’s values in 2025, not 1955.

When we empower homeowners to choose native or well-adapted plants, we reduce costs, strengthen our environment, and reconnect our neighborhoods with the Texas landscape that has supported life here for thousands of years.

For the Love of Mother Earth

If you are designing or replanting your yard, please don’t import your plant palette from another state. What thrives in New England or California often struggles here. Each plant that does not belong requires more water, more fertilizer, more pesticides, and… more of your time.

Texas does not need to look like somewhere else. It is beautiful just the way it is and it’s time our HOAs realized it.

*Click HERE to learn more about what rights you have as a homeowner in an HOA, and the protections afforded you by Texas Senate Bill 198 and Texas House Bill 3391 that protect your rights to choose more environmentally friendly options.