To answer the OP's question, no I would not get rid of my lawn if it was allowed. However, I am considering getting rid of our garden and turning that into additional lawn. I am sick and tired of pulling weeds from the garden, but I don't have to weed the lawn. I would much rather spend my free time swimming laps and golfing than pulling weeds.

The needs of the lawn involve more than just water. Pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, are all being "absorbed" into the ground where it then percolates into the aquifers, mixes with natural bacterium, consumed by other bacterium, fungi, and whatever bugs and insects live off the sludge, which then feeds whatever birds and other animals feed on the insects and bugs, which then becomes food for the next animal up the food chain, and so on and so forth.

And then, the water is churned right back into your lawn by way of your sprinkler system. Do you not notice how nasty that water smells? Maybe it's because I'm relatively new but I can't even turn the hose on to clean the bugs off my car in the driveway without gagging.

Where we live, between SS and LSL, all of our water (including the outside hose and irrigation) is potable water and isn't any different than the water that comes out of our kitchen sink.

Would love Astro turf. That would free up a lot of time and save a lot of money

The problem with astroturf is that nothing grows underneath it. It creates a desert, and eliminates the natural environment completely. If you were to sell the home and the new owner wanted to put in a lawn, the cost and time to restore the ground to growable conditions would be extensive.

For a small patch of ground, it's not bad. We used it up north as the ground cover for our above-ground pool, so when we climbed the ladder and climbed back down again we didn't get our feet dirty or stub our toes on the tile patio.

We had a neighbor who used astroturf to cover the cement stairs to their front door. It was way too bright green, maybe if they had gotten a more subtle hue it would've looked okay. Very functional though.

It is allowed to remove grass in your lawn by law. We are doing it now and can not wait to have it all gone. Too much water, chemical fertilizer, weeding chemicals, disease chemicals and bug chemicals, grass clippings disposal, polluting mowers. Planting the correct plants, in the correct place, Florida native, drought tolerant and freeze tolerant for this zone is imperative.

:bigbow:

The water in your hose, or in the sprinkling system smells here because it has laid quietly for awhile in a warm dark place and smelly little one celled critters that you appear to know about has grown in it. Once that first water is cleared, it isn't smelly. Many things are different here in this warmer climate. Another thing is bugs that can quickly grow in your home. Most of us are very grateful for pesticides to keep them out. Some of Florida's roaches need saddles. AND love me those pesticides to kill the Fire Ants. Their bites hurt and sting and last for a couple of weeks.

Better living through chemistry.

For a relatively small lot for our Jasmine I figured the annual cost to keep it green at least $2000. (Cutting, pest and fertilization and watering). This does not include if something goes bad and you need some sod replacement.
Although I love a lawn I have thought in the long run artificial turf may be less costly.


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Getting the grass out
 

I would live to replace my lawn with ground cover but my other half will not see it that way. That does not resolve the weed problem but would not need the water, chemicals and mowing which costs several hundred a year. You can, by Florida statute, replace grass with specific plants, but The Villages also has placed some restrictions, meaning they are not keen on it but cannot stop you because state laws allow it. I love to garden so have a great many nectar and hosts plants for bees and butterflies. I would replace the grass with those if I could! Go monarchs!

Another wonderful use for pesticides here is to kill Fire Ants. They look like innocent little ****ants and climb on your ankle while you are distracted and then the lead ant blows a whistle or exudes a signal and the little bastards all bite you at once and the sting hurts and stings for a couple of weeks. Almost everyone changes their mind about pesticides after a run in with Fire Ants. Almost no one defends them with the "they were here before we were" defense.

Sometimes Greenies are helpful and sometimes they are unrealistic. Try to cut the use of one use plastics, and reuse, recycle and repurpose and don't feed the alligators or the birds. Palm trees also attract Palm Rats. They get into your attic and raise families and their urine is very strong.

fire ant stings - Bing images

graass
 

If it were allowed I would take out the grass, add some more plants , a tree, some rock, and a little bit of artificial turf. No more fertilizers, no more mowing and a lot less water used.
:a040::bigbow:

Would I get my lawn removed if allowed? Not even a remote chance. After a lifetime up north of costs that are 4 to 5 times the cost here to maintain a beautiful lawn, I take great pride in our little patch of paradise.

I get it that others have the directly opposite view as mine. That's fine. I respect that.

I love the idea of my neighbors having an unspoken competition on whose property looks the best. There are over 45 houses on my street and every one of the owners loves their lawns. Nobody has taken the lawn removal route yet. (If you know me, quiet on which street it is please)

I'd give up that Palm Tree in a heartbeat.

What a nice feeling it is to come home to a manicured lawn and a crisp, sharp looking Love Shack. :1rotfl:

Previous owners paid to have a big brown patch of the lawn weed-controlled and re-grown at the edge of the driveway, and now it's a big brown patch again.

No idea what's causing it but I don't care. We'll probably just pull up that section, dig up whatever they're calling "dirt" underneath it, replace that with actual dirt, some natural (descented) manure fertilizer, crushed shell, and finally ground cover. The maintenance will be minimal once it's in - maybe $25 per year. Get some railroad ties or other edging material to make it look manicured, maybe have some kind of short flowering shrubbery on the edge closest to the house.

We definitely agree on the palm tree issue then! Not a fan of palms in Florida. Love those gorgeous water oaks, as long as they're a healthy distance from the house and equally healthy distance from the street. Them roots are scary!