Native landscaping and xeroscaping can certainly look great. I especially like rocks and boulders thoughtfully incorporated into the design.

If someone wants to have a lawn, there are ways to do it that don’t involve chemical warfare with the earth. Two suggestions:

Use a grass variety suitable to the area and desired level of care. There are drought tolerant varieties that don’t go dormant in the summer like SPF-30. For less (or zero) mowing, go with a dwarf or ultradwarf variety.

A normal organic fertilizer like Milorganite will do a lot for soil health AND weeds. Healthy thick grass doesn’t provide a great environment for weeds. There won’t be zero weeds, but it will look pretty good.