Comments on: Lawns – Less Than Heavenly

By: phyllisdiehl

phyllisdiehl — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:52:55 +0000

thanks for another perfect “teaching” moment. i enjoy the wild stuff also. my favorite wild flower was called “blackeyed susan” i wish i could see it again. good information and loved the quotes

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:56:20 +0000

I just had to share with you a great quote on this very subject.

“Lawns are nature purged of sex or death. No wonder Americans like them so much.”
- Michael Pollan

By: Roger Hartsell

Roger Hartsell — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:04:11 +0000

Ah yes the lawn issue. I am totally bummed and confused by what I see around. There’s at least one “up-scale” neighborhood that, no matter what time of year, will have crews of lawn professionals, raking and spraying and mowing at least weekly. Heaven forbid that a stray leaf stay on their green lawn for more than a day. Armies of workers, with the weapons of war against imperfect lawns, blowers, trimmers, mowers, sprayers, diligently manicure these lawns. Constantly. My one next door neighbor is a landscape architect, so his yard is a “showplace” of neatness. At least, the last 2 years, he has been planting edibles in the front. I think this is showing customers how it can be done. Kudos for that. My other neighbor is just OCD.
I am thoroughly amused when someone says they are going to create a “natural area” in their yard. All you have to do is leave it alone~!
And the biggest offender? Golf courses!
<3 Weeds!

By: Sami Grover

Sami Grover — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:46:58 +0000

Hahaa – priceless. I’m a little confused by the perfect lawn brigade too – although there is something about some nice short grass to sit, play frisbee on etc – it always seems so much more beautiful if it is surrounded by gardens, trees, wildflowers or whatever.

For those not willing to go entirely lawn-free, TreeHugger just did a post on reel mowers – quieter, cleaner, cheaper and you get exercise in the process. Come to think of it, given you wouldn’t want to mow 16 acres with one of these, maybe they also provide incentive to keep our lawns to a manageable size. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/push-reel-mower-grass-lawn-mowing.php

Scythes are also making a comeback in the UK: http://www.thescytheshop.co.uk/