Replacing your lawn in Colorado: rebates, and what to plant instead of grass
Quick answer
Many Front Range water providers pay you to replace thirsty bluegrass, often via Resource Central turf conversion plus discounted Garden In A Box kits, though programs change yearly and some sell out. Replace the lawn with low-mow or no-mow groundcovers, drought-tough shrubs, and pollinator perennials suited to alkaline clay. Expect a season or two of weeding and watering while it establishes.
Tired of watering a bluegrass lawn that drinks half your summer water bill? On the Front Range you can usually get paid to replace it, and the result can be a fuller, more interesting, lower-water yard. This guide covers the two things people always ask together: the lawn-replacement rebates near you, and the water-wise palette to plant once the grass is gone.
Plan your garden
Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Lawn-replacement rebates by city
Many Front Range water providers pay you to pull thirsty bluegrass, often through Resource Central's turf-conversion service and its Garden In A Box plant kits. Programs and funding change every season and some sell out partway through the year, so treat the figures below as a starting point and confirm the current terms on the program page before you remove anything.
Boulder (City of Boulder (water conservation via Resource Central))
- Resource Central turf conversion + Garden In A BoxUp to ~$500 toward lawn-replacement service for Boulder water customers, plus discounted Garden In A Box xeric kits. City of Boulder water customers; capacity is limited and fills seasonally Verified 2026-05-30
Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs Utilities)
- Native Grass Lawn Program (closed)Free native grass seed (up to ~$150 value) + free high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles (up to ~$100) + classes. Colorado Springs Utilities residential customers Verified 2026-05-30
- New Home Landscape Incentive$1 per sq ft for newly constructed homes. New-construction CSU customers Verified 2026-05-30
Castle Rock (Castle Rock Water)
- Residential ColoradoScape Renovation Rebate$3.25 per sq ft to replace high-water turf with low-water ColoradoScape ($1.00/sq ft for turf → rock/hardscape); min 400 sq ft, max 1,500 sq ft/account (~$4,875 max). Castle Rock Water customers; pre-approval required before work begins, irrigation updates required, turf must be healthy. Rebates ≥$600 are taxable. Verified 2026-05-30
- Rotary nozzle & toilet retrofit rebatesUp to $5/rotary nozzle; up to $150 per ultra-high-efficiency toilet. Castle Rock Water customers Verified 2026-05-30
Fort Collins (Fort Collins Utilities)
- Xeriscape Incentive Program (XIP)$0.75 per sq ft (up to 1,000 sq ft / $750), plus a native-plant bonus of $0.25/sq ft when ≥80% Colorado natives, up to $1,000 total. Fort Collins Utilities water customers; pre-approval required before installation Verified 2026-05-30
- Free sprinkler/irrigation audit + equipment rebatesFree irrigation audit; rebates on efficient sprinkler equipment. Fort Collins Utilities customers Verified 2026-05-30
Denver (Denver Water)
- Garden In A Box discount (via Resource Central)$25 off each kit, on up to 4 water-wise Garden In A Box kits. Denver Water customers Verified 2026-05-31
- Turfgrass removal discount (via Resource Central) (closed)Up to $750 off residential turf-removal service (remove ≥200 sq ft; no artificial turf). Denver Water customers, 2026 discounts are fully allocated; applications closed for the year. Plan for the next cycle. Verified 2026-05-31
Aurora (Aurora Water)
- GRIP: Grass Replacement Incentive Program$3.00/sq ft for water-wise landscape (shrubs/perennials/ornamental grasses + mulch); $0.50/sq ft for water-wise grass. Aurora Water customers; must remove ≥500 sq ft of healthy, irrigated turf; pre-approval required (not retroactive); rebates >$600 need a W-9. Verified 2026-05-31
- Free water-wise landscape designFree planning + plant-selection help. All Aurora Water customers Verified 2026-05-31
Longmont (Longmont Water Conservation (with Resource Central))
- Lawn Replacement + Garden In A Box (via Resource Central)Subsidized turf-removal service + discounted water-wise garden kits; 2026 capacity expanded with state matching funds. Longmont water customers; applications open seasonally (spring) Verified 2026-05-31
Loveland (Loveland Water & Power)
- Loveland Water & Power / Efficiency Works rebatesRebates on weather-based smart irrigation controllers, drip-conversion equipment, and high-efficiency fixtures (irrigation-equipment focused, not a per-sq-ft turf rebate). Loveland Water & Power customers; 2026 program details being updated, confirm with the utility Verified 2026-05-31
Greeley (Greeley Water)
- Life After Lawn turf-replacement rebate$1.00/sq ft for homeowners (min 500 sq ft, max $3,000); larger/HOA/commercial up to $15,000. Reimbursement model (pay first, submit receipts). Greeley Water customers; landscape plan must be pre-approved and meet city code. Confirm current 2026 funding/availability with Greeley Water. Verified 2026-05-31
What to plant instead of grass
A lawn replacement is not rocks and three yuccas unless you want it to be. The water-wise palette here is full and living: low-mow or no-mow groundcovers that carpet the ground, drought-tough shrubs for structure, and pollinator perennials for color. Group plants by water need so the truly xeric ones are not drowned by thirstier neighbors.
- Angelina sedum
- Aromatic aster
- Bigroot / Cambridge cranesbill
- Blue grama grass
- Buffalo grass
- Carpet bugle
- Clustered field sedge
- Cranberry cotoneaster
A few low-mow and no-mow groundcovers to start with. See the full guides below for the complete lists.
What to expect
Replacing a lawn is a two-season project, not a weekend. Plan for a year or two of weeding and regular watering while the new plants root in and knit together; a water-wise bed is low-water once established, not on day one. Kill or remove the existing turf first (solarizing or sheet mulching over a summer beats rototilling bluegrass, which just chops the rhizomes into more bluegrass), amend lightly if at all for xeric plants, and mulch well. If you are claiming a turf-removal rebate, read the rules first: most require a minimum square footage, ban artificial turf, and want before-and-after photos or an inspection.
Water-wise plant guides
Frequently asked questions
- Can I get paid to replace my lawn in Colorado?
- Often, yes. Many Front Range water providers offer turf-removal rebates or discounted turf-conversion service, frequently through Resource Central, plus discounted Garden In A Box plant kits. The amount and rules vary by city and the funding can run out mid-season, so check your provider's current program before you start. The city rebate list above links each one.
- What should I replace my lawn with in Colorado?
- A mix: low-mow or no-mow groundcovers to cover the ground, a few drought-tough shrubs for structure, and pollinator perennials for color. Choose low-water and native species suited to our alkaline clay, and group them by water need. The guides above list the full water-wise palette.
- Do I have to kill my grass before planting?
- Yes, and how you do it matters. Smothering the turf by solarizing or sheet-mulching over a summer is more reliable than rototilling, which chops bluegrass rhizomes into more bluegrass and leaves you fighting regrowth in your new bed for years.
- Is xeriscaping just rocks and gravel?
- No. Xeriscape means low-water landscaping, not zero-plant landscaping. A good lawn conversion is full of living groundcovers, shrubs, and perennials that need a fraction of a bluegrass lawn's water once established, while still giving you greenery, color, and habitat.