The best size for a lawn is one area that the sprinkler will cover when set on high. When selecting flowers to plant, discover which ones bloom easily and plant lots of them. Plant annuals that reseed themselves and leave a few plants in your beds of provide seeds. Leave some of the plant skeletons in fall to protect the roots over the winter. Let your garden go to pots and other containers.
Container gardening is ideal for limited space, poor soil, or limited mobility.
Large pots can be partly filled with plastic packing bits and used for shallow-rooted plants. With pots of blooming plants near the front door, visitors may never notice that the lawn is less than perfect. Lay a bag of potting soil on its side. Poke holes in the bottom for drainage and slits in the top to insert the plants. A well-planned irrigation system saves the most on labor and the water bill.