GREEN, LUSH lawns. They're lovely to look at and provide a fine place for recreation, especially for children. Most of us grew up with lawns, and many of us can't imagine a landscape without them.

But there are good reasons to look for alternatives. About half the water used by most families each year is applied to the landscape, and the bulk of that is poured onto lawns.

Despite this winter's ample rainfall, water is still in short supply. After three years of drought, and with this year's supply still uncertain, many water agencies are rationing water use or asking customers to conserve voluntarily.

Lawns not only guzzle water, they also are the recipients of enormous quantities of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Many of these chemicals have been shown to harm human health. They kill beneficial insects that much wildlife depends on, and they pollute creeks and the Bay.

Add to this the amount of time it takes to mow, weed, and edge a lawn, and you may wonder why you bother. But what could you put in place of the lawn?

Replacing a lawn — or part of it — with California native plants is a beautiful and environmentally friendly solution, as many local gardeners have discovered.

Native plants are adapted to our soils and climate, and most don't even like fertilizer. Many need little or no supplemental water, and some tolerate long periods of drought.

Native plants support a

Rick Alatorre of Richmond, owner of Alatorre Garden Design, removed his lawn in increments over a two-year span. In its place, he installed a graceful series of raised beds and paving stone retaining walls.

An intensively planted palette of natives provides a tapestry of color from February through September. Hummingbirds, butterflies, hoverflies, ladybugs, and other wildlife regularly visit the garden.

Cindy and Rick Simons of Castro Valley wanted to reduce water use, eliminate garden chemicals and provide habitat for wildlife. Now, native bunchgrass "lawns" are the centerpieces of a series of flagstone and decomposed granite paths. Watering has been reduced about 40 percent this year and will be further reduced when the plants are established.

Hummingbirds are now seen in the garden "all the time," the Simonses say, and native bees frequent the many flowering natives.

The garden of Clara Lai and Howard Torf of Walnut Creek was once solid lawn, bordered by view-blocking hedges. Clara and Howard wanted to reduce water use, and Clara, a cut-flower aficionado, wanted color.

Now the hedges are history, as is the turf in the back garden. The lawn in front has been reduced. The inspiration for this tranquil garden was nearby Mount Diablo, home to hundreds of species of native plants adapted to high summer heat.

Barbara Leitner of Orinda, a botanist and native plant enthusiast, wanted a garden of plants native to her local watershed. In this attractive, tranquil garden, a sunny meadow is planted with bunchgrasses interspersed with sedges, blue-eyed grass, monkeyflower and a variety of wildflowers.

Soap root, grown from seed, lines the walkway, its delicate, orchidlike evening flower attracting hordes of bumblebees. This garden is also home to garter snakes, salamanders and many birds, including woodpeckers, chickadees, goldfinches, hummingbirds and quail.

While we may miss some aspects of our traditional lawns, the benefits make it well worth the change.

Kathy Kramer is the founder of the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour; Nora Harlow is with the East Bay Municipal Utility District, and Chris Dundon is with the Contra Costa Water District.