Written by Matthew Ponsford
Lawns are an American obsession. Since the mass proliferation of suburbs in the 1950s and '60s, these pristine carpets of green turf have been meticulously maintained by suburbanites, with grass length and other aesthetic considerations enforced with bylaws and by homeowner associations.
But for nature, lawns offer little. Their maintenance produces more greenhouse gases than they absorb, and they are biodiversity deserts that have contributed to vanishing insect populations. Residential lawns cover 2% of US land and require more irrigation than any agricultural crop grown in the country. Across California, more than half of household water is used outside of the house.
If attitudes toward lawn care are shifted, however, these grassy green patches represent a gigantic opportunity. In 2005, a NASA satellite study found that American residential lawns take up 49,000 square miles (128,000 square km) -- nearly equal in size to the entire country of Greece.
A small, shady garden at Kronish House, a villa by Ricahrd Neutra in Beverley Hills, California designed by Marmol Radzinerm, winner of the ASLA 2016 Professional Honor Award in Residential Design Credit: Roger Davies
According to environmental scientists, transforming lawns into miniature modular bio-reserves could not only boost biodiversity, but could cut water and petrol consumption and reduce the use of dangerous lawn chemicals.
Yet the question for many homeowners remains: how?
In Western states such as California, Colorado and Arizona, droughts have led to restrictions on water usage, forcing many to reconsider their thirsty lawns. Some inventive families and landscape architects have transformed yards, producing oases of life for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, by employing scientific insight, design and imagination.
"This new garden model is giving people permission to play," said Cook, who has redesigned home lawns across Orange County, with an emphasis on "ecosystem-centric" design. Ripping up a generic lawn can reveal a canvas for personal creativity -- to plant with food, flowering plants and herbs, or to shape into wildlife habitats that invite in local fauna.
Yard, by 2.ink Studio, winner of the ASLA 2018 Professional Honor Award in Residential Design Credit: Stephen Miller / ASLA
"It seems to me that they are yearning for an authentic experience of nature close to home," said Cook. There is increasing evidence that close contact with natural environments can reduce stress and anxiety, and even help maintain memory as we age.
According to Cook, the families she's worked with have been delighted to reconnect with eclectic natural processes, such as watching rain cascade down water-drainage swales. "They don't want to travel to a wilderness park to see ecosystem interactions."
Nationwide Trend
What Cook sees in California reflects an emerging trend across the country. In Minnesota, homeowners have been offered rebates to replace lawns with flowering plants beloved by bees. Cities and municipalities, such as Montgomery County in Maryland, have also offered to pay families and homeowner associations to design gardens that collect storm water in water features and underground rain barrels.
A contemporary remodel of a suburban ranch home in Portland, Oregon by Courtney Skybak from Samuel H. Williamson Associates Credit: Samuel H. Williamson Associates / shwa.net
Such policies can lead to big changes. Images of intensely irrigated lawns in Phoenix, ringed by the red sand of the Arizona Desert, were once a disturbing case study of America's lawn addiction. But in recent decades, the state has taken action, charging more for water in the summer and banning lawns on new developments. At the turn of the millennium, 80% of Phoenix had green lawns, now only 14% does.
Landscape architects are seeing families change their preferences, according to a recent poll by the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Garden for Wildlife initiative, which encourages Americans to design gardens with food, water and shelter for wild animals.
A graphic patterned garden in Portland, Oregon by Courtney Skybak from Samuel H. Williamson Associates Credit: Samuel H. Williamson Associates / shwa.net
Changing Tastes
These gardens today represent around 3,600 acres. According to Green America, they have the potential over the next 10 years to capture the carbon equivalent to taking 70,000 cars off the road for an entire year.
Xeriscape Colorado, a program by non-profit Colorado WaterWise, promotes water-saving approaches to landscaping Credit: Kristen Vance
"I think homeowners are trying to seek a higher sense of community, and so they want to be in their front yard, interacting with their neighbors," she added.
Faced with the choice between a wildlife garden or astroturf -- the latter has also become increasingly popular in drought-hit areas -- Mary Phillips, senior director of NWW, urges people to consider nature. She refers to recent research that shows wildlife gardens can support bee biodiversity comparable to natural parklands and, as a result, a greater number and diversity of birds, especially songbirds.
Yard, by 2.ink Studio, winner of the ASLA 2018 Professional Honor Award in Residential Design Credit: Stephen Miller / ASLA
"When we share those kinds of stories, that is what's motivating people," said Phillips. "Because they're actually seeing on the ground, visually, these bees and these butterflies and the birds visiting the property, and they see that they can make a significant difference."
A Few Simple Rules
Even small changes can make a difference to the environmental impact of lawns. The "entry-level option," according to Philips, for families that still want room for their kids to play, is to inject more wildflowers into the turf. That includes plants that are typically viewed as nuisances.
"The stuff that people are usually trying to get out of their lawn, we're saying 'No, that's good to have in your lawn!'" said Philips. "So reintroduce native violets -- and even dandelions -- certain clovers, low-growing thyme and things that flower, which provide pollinator benefits and are better for the soil."
Once a wasteland, Tessa Charnofsky planted hundreds of California native plants and built decks and stairways. "Within a couple of years, it was transformed into a wildlife paradise, and became a Certified Wildlife Habitat. So many species of bumble bee and sweat bee, butterflies and moths, lizards, migrating birds, birds of pray lived here, dined here, or just passed through." Credit: Tessa Charnofsky
The more advanced option means "taller meadow or prairie-like native plants," Phillips said. These types of plants have root systems that better manage storm water runoff, in addition to absorbing more carbon, she explained.
When one home commits to a wildlife-friendly lawn, others often follow. "(It's) an unspoken message to their neighbors, it is evidence that they care about the environment," Cook said. "In many areas, the first house on the block has set off a domino effect, as others take permission to experiment."c
"Each small garden acts as a stepping stone for birds, pollinators and other wildlife, becoming something much larger, impacting whole watersheds," she added.
Pomegranate and Boston Ivy on the wall of a Bel Air home owned by TV writer-producers Amy Lippman and Rodman Flenders, designed by Naomi Sanders Credit: Jennifer Cheung
Top photo: a front garden at Kronish House, a villa by Ricahrd Neutra in Beverley Hills, California designed by Marmol Radzinerm
Original post:
Designing an end to a toxic American obsession: The Lawn - CNN
- The Ultimate Guide to Seasonal Landscape Maintenance - Better Homes & Gardens - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- How to Plant a Clover Lawn, According to Landscape Experts - House Beautiful - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- 9 Succulent Garden Ideas That Will Add Sculptural Dimension to Your Landscape - Martha Stewart - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- 11 Front Yard Landscaping Ideas to Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal - Better Homes & Gardens - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- 23 Curb Appeal Ideas for the Best Front Yard on the Block - Better Homes & Gardens - February 26th, 2024 [February 26th, 2024]
- Why xeriscapes might be the next generation of home landscapes in California - ABC10.com KXTV - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Opinion: Nonprofit shows we can take the time to help the climate - Iowa City Press-Citizen - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- TIMOTHY DALY: Making your garden attractive to wildlife - Henry Herald - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- How the 1992 SEC championship game altered the college football landscape forever - ESPN - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- YARD AND GARDEN: A garden for every child, a child in every garden - Journal Gazette / Times-Courier - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Rocks: a great alternative to grass - Austin Weekly News - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Tom Clyde: Adventures in the real world - The Park Record - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- What is Hardscaping and Should Real Estate Investors Do It? - MSN Money - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- UC ANR Reports Drought-Tolerant Plants Can Save Water, But Beware Of Those That Are Toxic - Sierra Sun Times - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Doreen Fogle: Grow some flowers to create a meadow for wildlife - The Union of Grass Valley - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Robotic Lawn Mower Market Outlook By Product, Application, End-User and Forecast The Courier - The Courier - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Film Study: Ohio State's Destruction at the Hands of Alabama RPOs Was Years in the Making | Eleven Warriors - Eleven Warriors - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Replanting the landscape: Turn the derecho disaster into opportunity - The Gazette - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Army will play Pac-12 team in Independence Bowl - Times Herald-Record - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- 6 Gardening Tasks You MUST Complete this Month - Signals AZ - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Jones, for now, on the wrong side of memorable moments - Newsday - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Rapid Reaction: TJ Finley and friends lead LSU to dominant win over South Carolina - Saturday Down South - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Lake of the Pines residents recall near-miss with CalWood Fire - The Daily Camera - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- See How D.C.s Iconic Tidal Basin Is Being Reimagined by Five Design Teams - Architectural Digest - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Melrose Heights hosts "Art in the Yard" events during pandemic - Columbia Star - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- What we learned in Ohio States 52-17 beatdown of Nebraska - Land-Grant Holy Land - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Let's Grow: Beat back the Japanese Honeysuckle invasion - Chillicothe Gazette - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Illinois seeking to surprise No. 14 Wisconsin one more time - Greater Milwaukee Today - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Cemetery cleanup to start Nov. 9 | Briefs | themountaineer.com - The Mountaineer - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- Forde-Yard Dash: Think Twice Before Handing Out That Contract Extension - Sports Illustrated - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Dock and Yard Management System Market Trends, Size, Share, Status, Analysis and Forecast to 2027 With Leading Players 4Front Engineered Solutions, C3... - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Evan Petty, One of Top Remaining Recruits in Class of 2021, Commits to Cal - SwimSwam - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Native Trees, Like Oaks and Yaupons, are Good for Our Environment and Our Health - Living Architecture Monitor magazine - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Dubai-based landscape architect Will Bennett launches WILDEN... - Construction Business News - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Thanks to a design coalition with community ties, Philadelphia's Graffiti Pier will live on as a public park - The Architect's Newspaper - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Tips for taking care of your lawn in the fall in West Texas - Standard-Times - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Pain in the grass: Protecting cold-sensitive plants - Las Cruces Sun-News - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- SI's Top 10: It's Clemson, Alabama and the Rest - Sports Illustrated - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Fall foliage at home, struggling evergreens, and composting: This Weekend in the Garden - pennlive.com - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Culture The Renovation of Tianbao Cave District of Erlang Town / Jiakun Architects - ArchDaily - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Without a Right to Garden Law, It May Be Illegal to Grow Your Own Food - Civil Eats - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Petitioners urge Greenville County to act against sprawl in rural northern areas - Greenville News - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Poll: Who was Staten Islands best HS football player of the last decade? - SILive.com - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Your lawn may be hungry and thirsty now - West Hawaii Today - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Webs in the Trees? They're Relatively Harmless - - Adirondack Almanack - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Texans & AFC South: Who Are The Impact Newcomers? - State of The Texans - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Big Ten's decision changes landscape of the 2020 college football season - Yardbarker - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Patriots vs. Seahawks: Where Malcolm Butler and the rest the Super Bowl XLIX stars are six years later - CBS Sports - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Green Your Yard The Green Way | Columns - CapeNews.net - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Guest View: Stopping the fires on our doorsteps - The Register-Guard - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Oklahoma State will take any COVID-era victory, but the Cowboys didnt look like a threat to the Sooners on - The Dallas Morning News - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Boston College caps long, unusual journey with impressive road win over Duke - The Boston Globe - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- The Latest: Noren shoots 67 early in 3rd round at US Open - Your Valley - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Frank Gore Just Revealed How He Wants to His NFL Career to End - Sportscasting - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- September is the start of spring bulb planting season - Iowa City Press-Citizen - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- Brady to Shady: LeSean McCoy Is Officially in the Ring Chasing Part of His Career - Sportscasting - September 20th, 2020 [September 20th, 2020]
- CAROL LINK ON GARDENING: Tropical hibiscus varieties are winter houseplants in this area - Gadsden Times - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Landscaping with Daylilies - The Tryon Daily Bulletin - Tryon Daily Bulletin - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Conservation Corner: Plants that stain the landscape, deck, and car - Lancaster Eagle Gazette - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Heat and Dry Weather Pose Problems For Landscape Plants - The Roanoke Star - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- ALL ABOARD: Jenison man transforms backyard into train trip around the world - WZZM13.com - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Will Peterson finish with more rushing yards than Gore? - NBC Sports Washington - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Tidbits and Rumblings around the College Football Landscape - 247Sports - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Victory gardens then and now - Delaware Gazette - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- 'He could do it all': York County volleyball icon remembered for selflessness on and off the court - York Daily Record - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Fall Is Ideal Time For Planting Most Trees And Native Plants - WUWM - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- House of the Day: Beautiful Lake Eola Heights home with mother-in-law suite asking $1025000 - Bungalower - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- 4 Options for an Ideal Outdoor Space: Pick the One That's Right for You Pasadena Weekendr - Pasadena Now - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Steps That Harvard Graduate School of Design is Taking to Adapt to Online-Only Courses - Core77.com - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- 46 new flats approved in Twickenham's Station Yard - Richmond and Twickenham Times - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Hayden Hurst is the next Mark Andrews in fantasy football | PFN - Pro Football Network - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Dredging Excavator Market Analysis by Emerging Growth Factors and Revenue Forecast to 2026 | American Marine & Machinery Co. Inc., China... - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Thom Smith | NatureWatch: Invasive plants are something to be reckoned with - Berkshire Eagle - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Waterford garden a haven for wildlife and humans - theday.com - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Ranking the offensive play-callers from every NFL team - Yardbarker - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- 150 miles across Albuquerque in the time of Corona - Weekly Alibi - August 28th, 2020 [August 28th, 2020]
- Heres how to create a lush landscape without excessive water usage - KTAR.com - August 16th, 2020 [August 16th, 2020]
- Coastal landscaping resources for novices and green thumbs alike - The Coastland Times - The Coastland Times - August 16th, 2020 [August 16th, 2020]
- Circle Gallery exhibition sheds light on living, working gardens - University of Georgia - August 16th, 2020 [August 16th, 2020]
- Birding: To enjoy and help birds, give them places to bathe - Chinook Observer - August 16th, 2020 [August 16th, 2020]