Several friends of mine w/ big open yards have gone the route of promoting the growth of low growing grasses/ wild flowering stuff and just leaving large patches au natural.....which promotes bees/butterflies. All they ever mow is several strips around the house, and several strips around the perimeter of the property and areas w/ picnic tables/seating areas. Nothing ever gets more than 6-8" tall...and what does get that tall is pretty sparse and thin. (You don't ever want any high thick stuff or you'll invite a lot of snakes and rodents) It also looks really nice w/ all the buttercups/dandelions, etc.