The grass isn't always greener
My DH has often referred to himself as Chamberlain and me as Hitler: I keep demanding more land, and he just gives it up.
In this case, more of his lawns for more of my gardens. The man actually enjoys lawn care and is quite proud of the results, and, in fact, his lawns can get as much attention from passersby as my perennial beds do.
But there is a growing anti-lawn sentiment in this country as the impact of weed-killing and heavy feeding on the environment, especially on waterways, is made known. And, face it, lawns don't do much but take up space.
If you have ever thought about giving your entire yard over to your gardens, I'd advise you to read Susan Harris' account of that transformation in her yard. She didn't have much grass, but she dug it all up and planted it with Stepables, which are small, treadable perennials.
The good news? It is beautiful, as Susan's pictures show. The bad news? Weeding, weeding and more weeding. Plus, it takes some of these plants a long time to fill in.
My husband and I have reached a peace accord in the yard, and his grass is staying. But it is worth a look at what Susan, a founding member of the Lawn Reform Coalition, has accomplished.
Comments
I am a complete supporter of the "Lawn Reformation" movement. It makes soooo much sense financially, environmentally, and recreationally.
That might put me in divorce court.-- Susan
Posted by: NotableM | May 24, 2010 2:08 PM
Thought I was the only one who wanted to see way less grass. The Harris pics are encouraging. Our neighborhood has many small hills and over the years neighbors have tried various creeping evergreens, etc. to keep hilly lawn mowing to a minimum. It's really about experimentation to find what will work in your situation. Anything that lessens the use of pesticides, fertilizers and water is a good thing. We still have plenty of people in our area addicted to 'chemical' and work-intensive lawns. Think outside the box (or lawn), try to cut yourself some slack and enjoy those extra hours doing something fun.
Posted by: ruth | May 24, 2010 2:29 PM