Yards are fucking awesome but monoculture lawns are the real invasive species. Add some clover and wild flowers! Cover the world in bee food.
That’s fine in Europe, but to any USians reading clover is not native here and there are natives you could/should be planting. Honey bees are also not native fyi, shout-out to native pollinators.
Why would you spend thousands on a lawnmower, pesticides, fertilizer and water when you could have a wildflower garden for free? Or a productive vegetable garden?
HOAs. Bloody freaking HOAs. Once upon a time, when everything was cheap, the climate wasn’t boiling away our water supply, and our weekends weren’t disturbed by asshole bosses, maintaining a lawn was relatively easy and rewarding. Now it’s become such an entrenched part of suburban life that we’ve created suicide pacts to make sure our neighbors keep their yards looking ‘normal,’ and of course they’re making sure ours is as well.
HOA can pound sand when it comes to native wildflowers, at least where I live.
I’d wind up with an acre of goat heads. No thanks. Even with mowing and dragging a carpet behind the tractor our dogs still track them in for us to step on on the way to the bathroom at 3AM.
Moved into a new house, excited to meet neighbors.
Decide to take the ole 10 y/o pup on a stroll.
Dog ends up having one of her more “anxious” poos on a lush lawn.
As I’m cleaning up, owner comes out and I say some quip about her, ready to introduce myself.
“You need to make your dog learn when to shit, and it best not be on my lawn.”
👀
“Alrighty, well I’ll keep that in mind”
“I taught my dog when and where to shit, and it wasn’t on lawns.”
Repeated, told him have a good one, and continued on. He kept trying to get me to (I guess) admit fault, and I just kept repeating as I cleaned up.
Haven’t gone by that assholes green pasture since, and definitely just assume people with that kind of lawn suck.
You would not believe how pissed off some people get if you say you don’t mind it when dogs poop on your lawn.
We have a lawn but have not once watered it or fertilized it. All we do is mulch the grass and any leaves that fall on it when we mow. I’m sure our neighbors hate how we’re patient 0 for the clover/dandelion “infestation” every year but we love seeing the bunnies in the morning.
As someone in the mid-west: Lawns are nice to keep out insects and weeds. Clover is also nice.
Mowing a lawn clears out flies like you would not believe.
My dirt has not been visible for almost 9 months. Milk thistle and rag weed are my bane. I don’t dare step into my front yard without overalls, gloves, and a face shield.
On the other hand, I appreciate how my 7 foot weeds provide a shade barrier to keep dirt moister and cooler, for the water table.
Some people purchase property so they can do what they want with it.
Lol, just because people have a legal “right” to some things doesn’t mean we don’t have a right to criticize the ways it’s damaging and there are far better alternatives. It’s also notable that in many places “private property” owners are not allowed the “right” to do what they wish with their land if it might be beneficial to the ecosystem because it would decrease “property values.”
“That person threw the bag fries out while children are starving!” You: A person’s lawn in front of their house. > Other important issues.
Oh you’re right, my right to criticize your pedantic comment was personally satisfying.
Fuck lawns
100%. Can’t wait to build my house in the woods and only maintain around it enough to prevent damage. Lawns are stupid.
Gardens and flowers are cool. Lawns are not cool!