What Makes for a "Perfect" Lawn?

Something to ponder as the spring season is upon us: Is there such a thing as a lawn that is too well-kept?

Having grown up with a mother who likes to prune her garden and keep at bay all “intruders,” including squirrels, raccoons, clovers, and dandelions, coupled with constant comparisons of lawns in the neighbourhood, you could say that I was raised to believe that “greener is better,” as I would often (literally) hear about the grass being greener on the other side. In fact, it almost seems like a competition (dare I say the most competitive hobby among neighbours)—who can have the lawn with the most “live” grass.

There are misconceptions surrounding the nature that exists just outside our homes. I recently learned that during the hottest and driest parts of the summer, grass will turn yellow and appear dead to conserve energy when it does not have enough nutrients. Just like trees and plants that hibernate during the winter, grass, too, goes dormant—‘tis the cycle of life. However, grass can indeed die if it is subjected to prolonged lack of water. Nevertheless, hay that is not on a farm (or stuffed inside a scarecrow) is something that would cause my mother much grief.

The psychological attachment to the idea of manicured and pristine lawns led people to uphold their yards to such societal standards, with the belief that weeds were the worst offenders. On the contrary, weeds play a significant and vital role in the earth’s ecosystem.

I caught up with an old friend from high school, Laura Williams, who wrote her master's thesis on lawn alternatives and gave me much insight on the subject. “[Dandelions] really are resilient. They grow through concrete and also serve the function of moving energy up the ecosystem,” Williams said.

She explained how clover used to be included in grass mix but was recently removed as the search for “perfection” or the “perfect green carpet” gained prominence in society. As different insects play different roles in the ecosystem, so do plants, and thus the importance of biodiversity in lawns. The incorporation of non-native plants in a plant community greatly increases the number and diversity of species, which contributes to the sterility and structural stability of the communities.

Below is an excerpt from Williams' thesis paper, “Floral Lawns: Developing and Evaluating a Residential Lawn Alternative for Southern Ontario.”

The motivations for installing a particular type of groundcover need not be limited to only the aesthetics; there are many other considerations that should be taken into account. The floral lawn addresses many of these considerations—maintenance, contributions to neighbourhood biodiversity, and visual interest throughout the growing season to name a few—and evidence from this study has demonstrated that it has the potential to be a viable alternative. Residential front and back yards in some cases, are the only direct interaction that people have with nearby nature and they are often the only instances in which people can actively manipulate nature to reflect their preferences and values. As opposed to fostering front yards to reflect new and relevant values of environmental sustainability and ecological cognizance. [Rather than] creating a false symbol of environmental health and vitality as demonstrated by the turfgrass lawn, front yards can be converted to support ecological processes that actively contribute to environmental health. Large-scale front yard revolution is conceivable, and the possibilities for healthy and ecologically beneficial front yard designs are only limited by self-imposed psychological boundaries of social conformity.

I also learned that the draw to maintain lawns stem from WWI and the introduction of “Victory Gardens.” To combat the food crisis, propaganda posters called for citizens to make use of idle land for agricultural production. To maximize garden productivity, burgeoning farmers were advised to practise succession planting and encouraged to record the germination rates of seeds as well as any diseases or insects that they may have encountered. Williams told me about how chemicals developed during the war were redirected into cleaning products as well as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers for lawn-care maintenance. “Victory Gardens” reemerged in WWII and the ideology of these gardens seems to continue to seep into the mindsets of today’s urban gardeners.

In addition, society’s collective focus on lawns is not so much tied to practical reasons, as it was for European settlers in the 17th century who needed to create landscapes that would be favourable for raising livestock. Instead, lawns serve as an indicator of socio-economic status. As Krystal D’Costa explains in an article called “The American Obsession with Lawns,” they are a physical manifestation of the American Dream of home ownership—a symbol of success.

Even though today it might not be a patriotic act to alleviate the burden on commercial farmers working hard to feed troops and civilians overseas, planting one’s own fruits and vegetables is, I’d say, is most definitely a good thing, and even better when it can be shared with others. Whether you adopt a green thumb at your local community garden, for your school's greenhouse, or right in your own backyard, I am all for self-sufficiency and knowing the origin (and journey) of your food. I understand people’s annoyance with garden thieves and disruptors—who wouldn’t be frustrated from having put time and energy into yielding crops only to have them destroyed or go missing. In the same vein, I get the desire to have a “flawless” lawn. However, I can’t say that I can relate…I suppose for someone who is fairly connected with nature and could live in a cabin in the woods far from civilization, my way of living is to coexist in peace and harmony with all creatures.

On the other hand, it may be a different story if I were living in a state of food scarcity and had to practise rationing with the added pressure to “sow the seeds of victory.” I would also say that I don’t care so much about appearances when it comes to lawns to such a degree that others may be concerned. So, I've come to conclude that in today’s day and age, the preference for a green and “pest-free” lawn is really just that—a preference.