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.

Replacing your lawn in Colorado: rebates, and what to plant instead of grass

Compiled by Nicholas Julia · Reviewed against the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List, CSU Extension & Plant Select® · Updated 2026-10-14

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.

Find lawn-alternative plants

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. For which programs are open right now, with dates, rules and HOA limits, see lawn replacement rebates by city.

Boulder (City of Boulder (water conservation via Resource Central))

Lawn replacement discount (via Resource Central) (closed)Up to $750 in discounts toward converting your lawn, while supplies last, plus a $100 Garden In A Box discount for Food Tax Rebate enrollees. City of Boulder water customers replacing at least 200 sq ft of turf. Resource Central's 2026 program is full and closed; it says applications reopen in spring 2027. Verified 2026-10-11

Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs Utilities)

Native Grass Lawn Program (closed)Free native grass seed (up to $150 value) and free high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles (up to $100 value), in kind rather than cash. Colorado Springs Utilities residential customers; requires classes (in person or on demand) and suits spots with 6+ hours of sun. 2026 registration is full; CSU keeps a notification list for spring 2027. Verified 2026-10-11
New Home Landscape Incentive$1 per sq ft of qualifying new landscape, paid as a bill credit or check after inspection. Newly built homes with a CSU residential water account only; renovating an existing yard does not qualify. Rules include approved native or low-water grass and planting beds that reach 70% cover at maturity. CSU's program overview is undated and the program is not listed on CSU's current rebates page, so confirm it is still running with CSU before you plan around it. Verified 2026-05-30

Castle Rock (Castle Rock Water)

ColoradoScape rebate (closed)$3.25 per sq ft for ColoradoScape, up to 1,500 sq ft per account (about $4,875); areas turned into concrete, decks or other non-permeable surfaces earn $1 per sq ft, as long as the design also includes plants. Castle Rock Water residential customers. At least 400 sq ft or the entire front yard of healthy, high-water grass; apply and get an initial site visit before you start; artificial turf does not qualify; rebates of $600 or more are taxable. The 2026 program is closed; Castle Rock Water says 2027 details come out in April 2027. Verified 2026-10-12
Rotary nozzle & toilet retrofit rebatesUp to $5 per rotary nozzle; the cost of an ultra-high-efficiency toilet (0.8 gallons per flush or less), up to $150 each and 4 per address. Castle Rock Water customers. Buy, install and apply in the same rebate year; the old toilet goes back to Castle Rock Water. The toilet rebate is available all year. Verified 2026-10-12

Fort Collins (Fort Collins Utilities)

Xeriscape Incentive Program (XIP) (closed)$0.75 per sq ft (up to 1,000 sq ft, or $750), plus a native-plant bonus of $0.25 per sq ft when at least 80% of the plants are Colorado natives, up to $1,000 total. Fort Collins Utilities water customers; projects must be approved before installation and reach 50% plant coverage at maturity. Residential applications are closed for 2026; the city says to check back in January 2027. Verified 2026-10-11
Free sprinkler evaluation + irrigation equipment rebatesFree sprinkler evaluation through Resource Central; equipment rebates such as up to $65 for a weather-based controller, up to $4 per rotary nozzle and up to $130 per drip zone, paid as a bill credit. Fort Collins Utilities residential customers. Equipment rebates are first come, first served while funds last; apply within 60 days of purchase. Evaluations run during irrigation season (typically June to August), and Resource Central is now taking a 2027 interest list. You can also borrow a free do-it-yourself sprinkler checkup kit. Verified 2026-10-12

Denver (Denver Water)

Garden In A Box discount (via Resource Central) (closed)$25 off each water-wise Garden In A Box kit, from a limited number of discounts. Denver Water residential customers. Resource Central is sold out of Garden In A Box for 2026; new kits come back next spring, and its interest list is the way to hear when ordering opens. Verified 2026-10-12
Turfgrass removal discount (via Resource Central) (closed)Up to $750 off turf-removal service (a discount, not a rebate check); 200 sq ft minimum and at least 50% plant material. Denver Water customers. All 2026 discounts are allocated; Denver Water says it will post an update if discounts return, and Resource Central says its 2027 applications open in spring. Verified 2026-10-11

Aurora (Aurora Water)

GRIP: Grass Replacement Incentive Program (closed)$3 per sq ft for a water-wise landscape; $0.50 per sq ft for water-wise grass; no per-project cap published. Between windows now: the next group applies Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 and installs by July 31, 2027. Aurora Water customers; approval comes first (not retroactive), and the grass must be healthy (dormant is fine). Minimum: the whole front yard or a 500 sq ft section (same for the curbside strip); in back, the larger of 300 sq ft or 35% of the backyard grass. At least 50% living plant coverage. Rebates of $600 or more are taxable. Verified 2026-10-11
Free water-wise landscape designFree planning + plant-selection help. All Aurora Water customers Verified 2026-10-12

Longmont (Longmont Water Conservation (with Resource Central))

Lawn Replacement (via Resource Central) (closed)Discounted turf-removal service or DIY plant kits; the city publishes no dollar figure, so check with Longmont. Longmont water customers; 200 sq ft minimum and at least 50% plant material. Resource Central's 2026 program is full and closed; it says applications reopen in spring 2027. Verified 2026-10-11

Loveland (Loveland Water & Power)

Lawn replacement and water-saving rebates (closed)Not confirmed for 2026. We could not confirm a 2026 lawn replacement program. Loveland is not on Resource Central's 2026 partner list, and the utility's residential programs page said rebates for water-saving items were unavailable pending 2026 updates. Check with Loveland Water and Power before you plan on any money. Verified 2026-10-11

Greeley (Greeley Water)

Life After Lawn turf-replacement rebate (closed)Not confirmed for 2026. We could not confirm a 2026 Life After Lawn program. Greeley's old program page now returns not found, and the city's current residential rebates page lists toilet and irrigation rebates and free water assessments, not a lawn rebate. In past years applications were due by July 1. Ask Greeley Water and Sewer's water efficiency team before you plan on any money. Verified 2026-10-12
Irrigation and toilet rebates50% of the cost of qualifying sprinkler upgrades (smart controller up to $300; sensors, pressure-reducing heads, rotary nozzles, valves, drip conversion kits); $100 for a toilet at 0.8 gallons per flush or less, plus $25 if you recycle the old one. Greeley water customers; register on the utility portal and apply within 90 days of purchase. Subject to available funds; rebates over $600 are taxable. Greeley also offers free water assessments. Verified 2026-10-12

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.

A few low-mow and no-mow groundcovers to start with. See the full guides below for the complete lists.

Explore lawn-alternative groundcovers in the finder →

A front-yard plan you can copy

Print this page for a one-page plan.

Not to the inch: drifts show where each plant goes. Numbers match the plant table.

Quantities for a 24 by 15 foot bed.
Plant	How many	Role	Size	Water
1. Apache plume	3	Anchor	4 to 6 ft	low water
2. Fernbush	2	Anchor	4 to 6 ft	low water
3. Pineleaf Penstemon	12	Main planting	12 to 18 in	low water
4. Blanketflower	12	Main planting	12 in	low water
5. Purple Prairie Clover	10	Main planting	24 in	low to medium water
6. Little Bluestem Grass	12	Main planting	24 to 36 in	low water
7. Blue grama grass	10	Front edge	8 to 18 in	low water
8. Sulfur buckwheat	10	Front edge	6 to 12 in	low water

About $439 for the 23 of 71 plants we have prices for, at the lowest price we have seen.

Sources and free plans to compare: Denver Water and Denver Botanic Gardens: Resilient Roots, a small-lot front yard ColoradoScape plan (PDF); Denver Water and Denver Botanic Gardens: Mile High, Low Water, a medium-lot front yard ColoradoScape plan (PDF); CSU Extension: Xeriscape and water-wise gardening.

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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. One heads-up: freshly cleared ground is exactly what bindweed loves, so if your yard has any, get ahead of it before you replant (how to get rid of bindweed in Colorado).

Water-wise plant guides

More planting plans

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.