Re: green lawn equipment, not green

I have a very large yard and rely on electric and the now nearly
forgotten reel mower. The approach I have taken is to use as much
ground cover and native plantings as possible while still leaving some
grass for our dogs and grandchildren to play on. I don't about other
parts of the country, but here in  TX  the homeowner's
association seems to be king (not in my neighborhood thank you) and
many have very specific rules about your lawn or lack  thereof. It
still amazes me that property values apparently trump water
conservation. One gated community up the road from me actually requires
St. Augustine, maybe the biggest water hog of all.  I guess I
don't understand the mindset. A well thought out xeriscape is as
attractive, in some cases more attractive, than a large expanse of
green. I would think that a more maintence free landscape would be a
plus rather than a minus to property values.