More on the Desire for Mown Grass

Chip in the unmown grass...

Betty Jo, long time correspondent, emailed me with yet more reasons why lawns aren't the best choice--

I am a huge lawn hater! And today, while I am at home with a helper attending my weed filled, lawnless yard, a pallet of hybridized, poisoned "lawn" is being delivered to my client, to be laid by the crew!

I can add more reasons not to have a lawn! They require --or lawn lovers think they do--an immense amount of artificial fertilizer--poison--the weed killers for the broad leaf weeds. Then, their mowings fill up the trash cans--many people even encase it in plastic to lie forever in land fills. Here it goes to companies which make compost and people who buy the result buy poison to put on their tomato plants!And water! We live in an arid place, stealing water for our lawns from the Owens Valley, where we turned a once fertile region into a desert. A lawn takes more water than any other component of a garden.

The City of Beverly Hills has a long strip park which extends for 14 or so blocks. Along with some very interesting plants they have lawn which is totally filled with a tiny white flowering plant and lots of dandelions. They encourage it and the result is lovely. I had a client ask me to re-create the effect in his lawn, but it was hard to do!

I espoused "meadows" instead of lawns for a while, but they are difficult to maintain--I think a meadow is nature is a transition.

Betty Jo in Camarillo, CA

Betty Jo I agree that meadows may well be nature in transition, but how about prairie plants. Once established they are low maintenance...just a good burn every now and again. And who can resist a nice fire?

COMING SOON: SAFARI ON THE WADE FARM AND AN ACTIVE HAWK NEST. THE TIERCEL, KRISTOPHER RED-TAIL, LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE GUESS WHO?

Donegal Browne