Posted by Sacha on May 31, 2011, 6:14 pm
The regularity with which this subject comes up started me thinking
about our obsession with a patch of grass. In many countries (the
drier ones) they're considered a total waste of space and an almost
blasphemous waste of water. What IS it with us and our lawns? I love
ours, so don't think I'm immune. But what does it do for a garden?
Why do those with a minute space in front of their house on which they
will never sit or sunbathe, relax and read, as the cars whizz by, want
part of it to be a lawn? What does it add to their garden & their
perception of it? Why do we all love them so much and discuss how to
cut them, treat them, encourage them etc? In real terms, they're a
waste of space and a worry. If we evaluated all the posts to urg, I
wonder if the ones about lawns would come out ahead as the single most
discussed subject? Really, I have no idea. But there's no idea it
recurs over and over again. So why do we British so love our lawns? In
a small and over-populated island do they, perhaps, represent some
atavistic belief in a patch on which to keep a cow, goat, sheep and
feed the family? Are they "this blessed plot" that means every
wo/man's home is their bit of the realm?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Posted by Mike Lyle on May 31, 2011, 6:35 pm
>The regularity with which this subject comes up started me thinking
>about our obsession with a patch of grass. In many countries (the
>drier ones) they're considered a total waste of space and an almost
>blasphemous waste of water. What IS it with us and our lawns? I love
>ours, so don't think I'm immune. But what does it do for a garden?
>Why do those with a minute space in front of their house on which they
>will never sit or sunbathe, relax and read, as the cars whizz by, want
>part of it to be a lawn? What does it add to their garden & their
>perception of it? Why do we all love them so much and discuss how to
>cut them, treat them, encourage them etc? In real terms, they're a
>waste of space and a worry. If we evaluated all the posts to urg, I
>wonder if the ones about lawns would come out ahead as the single most
>discussed subject? Really, I have no idea. But there's no idea it
>recurs over and over again. So why do we British so love our lawns? In
>a small and over-populated island do they, perhaps, represent some
>atavistic belief in a patch on which to keep a cow, goat, sheep and
>feed the family? Are they "this blessed plot" that means every
>wo/man's home is their bit of the realm?
All of the above. Plus, a patch of green is good to look upon;
plusplus, people reckon it's less hassle than looking after flower
beds...and then get conned by TV into spending fortunes on topsoil,
turf, machinery, fertilisers, and weedkillers!
--
Mike.
Posted by Sacha on May 31, 2011, 6:46 pm
> But there's no idea it recurs over and over again.
Tsk. "But there's no doubt it recurs..." etc.
--
Sacha
Posted by Andy on May 31, 2011, 11:50 pm
> The regularity with which this subject comes up started me thinking about
> our obsession with a patch of grass. In many countries (the drier ones)
> they're considered a total waste of space and an almost blasphemous waste
> of water. What IS it with us and our lawns? I love ours, so don't think
> I'm immune. But what does it do for a garden? Why do those with a
> minute space in front of their house on which they will never sit or
> sunbathe, relax and read, as the cars whizz by, want part of it to be a
> lawn? What does it add to their garden & their perception of it? Why do
> we all love them so much and discuss how to cut them, treat them,
> encourage them etc? In real terms, they're a waste of space and a worry.
> If we evaluated all the posts to urg, I wonder if the ones about lawns
> would come out ahead as the single most discussed subject? Really, I have
> no idea. But there's no idea it recurs over and over again. So why do we
> British so love our lawns? In a small and over-populated island do they,
> perhaps, represent some atavistic belief in a patch on which to keep a
> cow, goat, sheep and feed the family? Are they "this blessed plot" that
> means every wo/man's home is their bit of the realm?
> --
> Sacha
> www.hillhousenursery.com
> South Devon
It's psychology, because a lawn won't grow itself it is man's way of
projecting power over nature ;)
Andy
www.mygardenproject.co.uk
Posted by 'Mike' on June 1, 2011, 2:53 am
> The regularity with which this subject comes up started me thinking about
> our obsession with a patch of grass. In many countries (the drier ones)
> they're considered a total waste of space and an almost blasphemous waste
> of water. What IS it with us and our lawns? I love ours, so don't think
> I'm immune. But what does it do for a garden? Why do those with a
> minute space in front of their house on which they will never sit or
> sunbathe, relax and read, as the cars whizz by, want part of it to be a
> lawn? What does it add to their garden & their perception of it? Why do
> we all love them so much and discuss how to cut them, treat them,
> encourage them etc? In real terms, they're a waste of space and a worry.
> If we evaluated all the posts to urg, I wonder if the ones about lawns
> would come out ahead as the single most discussed subject? Really, I have
> no idea. But there's no idea it recurs over and over again. So why do we
> British so love our lawns? In a small and over-populated island do they,
> perhaps, represent some atavistic belief in a patch on which to keep a
> cow, goat, sheep and feed the family? Are they "this blessed plot" that
> means every wo/man's home is their bit of the realm?
> --
> Sacha
> South Devon
With so many covering their gardens with planking or hardstanding material,
one of the remarks we had when we opened our gardens was 'Oh you have a
lawn'. Pocket handkerchief size which can see
http://www.myalbum.com/Album=MUKLG34Q picture 101006. Don't blink ;-)
Mike
--
...................................
Remember, a statue has never been erected to a critic.
...................................
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>about our obsession with a patch of grass. In many countries (the
>drier ones) they're considered a total waste of space and an almost
>blasphemous waste of water. What IS it with us and our lawns? I love
>ours, so don't think I'm immune. But what does it do for a garden?
>Why do those with a minute space in front of their house on which they
>will never sit or sunbathe, relax and read, as the cars whizz by, want
>part of it to be a lawn? What does it add to their garden & their
>perception of it? Why do we all love them so much and discuss how to
>cut them, treat them, encourage them etc? In real terms, they're a
>waste of space and a worry. If we evaluated all the posts to urg, I
>wonder if the ones about lawns would come out ahead as the single most
>discussed subject? Really, I have no idea. But there's no idea it
>recurs over and over again. So why do we British so love our lawns? In
>a small and over-populated island do they, perhaps, represent some
>atavistic belief in a patch on which to keep a cow, goat, sheep and
>feed the family? Are they "this blessed plot" that means every
>wo/man's home is their bit of the realm?