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Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

gardensillustrated.com

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Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#11

Post by philips »

veltas wrote: post #10
philips wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently tore out my lawn and co-designed a native yard with my kids. We designed a map together with very narrow wood chip paths to play on and brought in soil to create berms for height variety. They love running around playing tag or hiding from each other. Once they get older I can imagine friends will enjoy capture the flag or foam dart wars in the space. We had one small japanese maple tree that they designat…

I don't know how this is a counter-point, isn't it just a point? Can lawns co-exist with no lawns? EDIT: parent has removed "counter-point".

Sure, fair.

I read your comment can be read as a reconfirmation of the articles thesis that we love lawns because they are always great for people where I am offering a counter-point that kids also love non-lawn yards.

Not creating an argument- just offering a different point.

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#12

Post by mikaeluman »

I recently took over an old house and plot of land not used for ~20 years.

In that time, the main lawn is still grass dominated and fairly easy to cut. But many areas have become completely swamped with different bushes and willow.

I cut it all down twice per year but it shoots up like a jungle next year anyway.

Parts of old farm tracks have of course become unrecognizable and are slowly turning into a forest.

It's hard and tough to walk, you can't see properly as plants can grow quite tall (plus elevation differences).

I love plants; but for human enjoyment and passage between different areas on a plot of land; grass is superior. I dream of grass.

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#13

Post by NoMoreNicksLeft »

10,000 years of agriculture has given us profound instincts to want to grow crops and harvest them. But you don't need to, it's a waste of your resources when you can head to the grocery store. So you grow grass that you can't eat and dutifully harvest it once a week. To satisfy that itch.

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#14

Post by eloisius »

mikaeluman wrote: post #12

I recently took over an old house and plot of land not used for ~20 years. In that time, the main lawn is still grass dominated and fairly easy to cut. But many areas have become completely swamped with different bushes and willow. I cut it all down twice per year but it shoots up like a jungle next year anyway. Parts of old farm tracks have of course become unrecognizable and are slowly turning into a forest. It's h…

Sounds like you need to get a couple goats

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#15

Post by snowe2010 »

philips wrote: post #9
veltas wrote: post #6

My young children both love the lawn and I can tell they get a lot from interacting with it, playing on it, etc. It is a little bit of accessible greenery in my small back-garden and I don't need to water it, just mow it occasionally.

I recently tore out my lawn and co-designed a native yard with my kids. We designed a map together with very narrow wood chip paths to play on and brought in soil to create berms for height variety. They love running around playing tag or hiding from each other. Once they get older I can imagine friends will enjoy capture the flag or foam dart wars in the space. We had one small japanese maple tree that they designat…

How is this a counter point? Do you know that their kids don’t like playing in the grass?

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#16

Post by spiderfarmer »

Because it’s the soft, clean, forgiving carpet for loads of outdoor activities.

Just the potential for a couple of great days a year is enough for me. I’m not talking about the mega mansions that have full time gardeners and unused lawns of course.

This question is never asked by people who have kids that love football for example. And that’s a large part of the population.

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#17

Post by defrost »

sublinear wrote: post #5

This was never really true in the southwest where rock gardens are common. When done right, they are so stunning and low maintenance. They also open up more options for interesting and dramatic lighting at night.

There are other counties further to the southwest than Wiltshire .. although a well earned high five for referencing Stonehenge.

Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?

#19

Post by 9dev »

stymaar wrote: post #2

Not everyone love lawns though, there's even an entire subreddit dedicated to hating them: https://www.reddit.com/r/fucklawns/

Well count me in (I wouldn't join that sub though.) Almost all lawns are just a sad approximation of a proper meadow, and could be real gardens - instead of an artificial, plain, featureless green space, they could harbour plants and be a habitat to countless animals.

Plus, the obsession some people have with mowing their lawn - I've got a particular neighbour who does it daily in the summer, for two hours I've got a constant engine roar in my ear.

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