Unfortunately in my neck of the woods people have got rid of their front lawns, not to rewild, but to put down hard surfaces on which to park their numerous cars.
Russell Hamilton
1 year ago
My garden is imperialist, globalist, unsustainable, and beautiful. Did the glories of English civilisation start with people who thought “Yeah, the weeds are just fine”. No. No. No. We don’t want thorns, prickles, and mess when can have camellias, azaleas, carnations.
I have abolished my lawn, it was just too time consuming, for if I was having lawn it had to be perfect. But if you have a family where are they to play but in the backyard on the lawn. You start with Queanie Queanie who’s got the ball, then on to French Cricket, Totem Tennis … it’s where you have parties, family gatherings, it’s where the little kids play in their inflatable swimming pools and dogs lounge around. On a sunny day you can throw down a beach towel on your beautiful green lawn and top up your vitamin D. What would be the point of a family home without a lawn?
Brian Villanueva
1 year ago
“It was as though the aristocratic lifestyle could be built upon a few effortlessly grazing sheep. “
Actually, it pretty much can be. I would hardly call myself “aristocratic”, but I do have a couple of acres and a decent lawn, and my lawnmower hasn’t seen a day of use in over 2 years.
The sheep really do keep it mowed down. You can’t leave them on it or they’ll eat it down to nothing. That doesn’t avoid the inevitable broadleaf weed killing or fertilizing, but as lawnmowers, sheep are excellent.
Jeremy Bray
1 year ago
I am not sure the suburban lawn has much to do with the aristocratic landscapes of Capability Brown. The purpose of these were to produce a pleasing vista. A pleasing vista is not really available in a suburban setting where you are not out of sight of your neighbours.
The lawn serves as a playground for children and their ball games and is a demonstration that order prevails in the house. My wife’s distress if the lawn is not maintained in a neat fashion has nothing to do with any aristocratic ambitions but derives from a desire not to be judged as a negligent garden slattern. A neatly mown lawn is a symbol of a well ordered household. I would prefer a well flowered meadow that would support pollinators but I recognise that this will never meet her ideal of domestic virtue whatever the ecological arguments in its favour.
Sam Sky
1 year ago
The only correct response to “Is your garden imperialist?” is “**** off and leave me alone”.
Julian Pellatt
1 year ago
“No Mow May”.
Woking-class c**p! Won’t remotely impact on the damage caused by 8-9 billion people on the Planet.
Oh well take a walk in the woods, it does wonderful things for foul temper disease.
Laura Creighton
1 year ago
Instead of a lawn, I have low-growing wild strawberries. All in bloom now — and I have never seen so many white blossoms. You’d think I had planted anemones.
No mowing needed. Walking on the plants barefoot is pleasant. Strawberries!
Brendan O'Leary
1 year ago
As if the natural world relied upon us for its preservation.
The natural world does indeed rely on us, its 7billion+ cohabiters, for its preservation, if preservation is the goal.
Re-wilding is an urban fantasy.
A re-wilded landscape in modern times is quickly overtaken by invasive species and hazardous undergrowth.
Alan Hawkes
1 year ago
Given the space, it is possible to have a mown area, with neatly trimmed edges as well as an unmown area: preferably the area that would be the most difficult to mow.
Steve Smith
1 year ago
Very thoughtful, as always.
Mark McKee
1 year ago
Honestly Giles, why are you writing this when Justin and Sarah are dismantling the Church of England by declaring it institutionally racist? Please spend your time fighting the cancer of wokedom!
Allison Barrows
1 year ago
I can always count on this writer for a good morning groan.
Richard Hopkins
1 year ago
Unfortunately, the author didn’t mention the extraordinary plant diversity that can be supported in churchyards, if they are maintained sympathetically. They can be sacred sanctuaries for wildlife. The delightful St Brynach’s in Nevern, Pembrokeshire did have the highest count of plant species in a British churchyard. It’s worth a visit.
Bill W
1 year ago
I was brought up in rented housing (military quarters) which may explain why I was accustomed to small gardens mainly comprising lawns on which we played French cricket, badminton, and a little bit of football etc etc. Our last house had a hillside garden with some woodland. What a release it was to move to a house with a smaller garden on flat ground which I have sought to devote to lawn.
Laurence Siegel
1 year ago
My lawn has been completely destroyed, not by No Mow May but by the unavailability of workers. It is now a giant weed patch and needs to be plowed under and reseeded. My wife and I are too old to do the work ourselves. Now it turns out I am supposed to think that’s a good thing? We already knew the Left only destroys but I didn’t really think they’d come for my garden. Fight back – invest in beauty.
Nicholas Rynn
1 year ago
My front garden is a riot of buttercups and Daisy flowers. There are some very pretty blue ones which my wife knows the name of but I don’t. The lime trees are in full bloom. The blackbirds are loving it.
I suspect No Mow May is about to become Thinking About it June. I shall spend the early evenings looking at nature’s beauty, drinking red wine and taking in the evening sun. So much more relaxing than mowing, weeding and rolling a patch of grass that will never pass as a lawn.
Last edited 1 year ago by Nicholas Rynn
Lesley van Reenen
1 year ago
I was told that sometimes during frequent posting, Unherd just randomly vets some posts. I don’t follow this logic at all.
Perhaps but sensitivity over “demeaning” words seems to have been incorporated into the algorithm. Since the former boxer Glenn McCrorey was allegedly arrested for threatening behaviour for addressing two waitresses in London as “Pet”, a perfectly normal working class greeting in Darlington his home town, one can’t tell what is going to cause a furore now. To object to the term seems to lack any cultural sensitivity towards working-class Northerners but it seems their perspectives are not of importance to the woke.
Philip Stott
1 year ago
“Kew Gardens also houses the largest collection of living seed and plant diversity on earth: 2.4 billion seeds are carefully stored, frozen or dried — a priceless insurance policy for a future time of ecological crisis.”
Not really the thrust of the article, I’ll admit, but that quote made me think of a single point of failure. Are there any backups for this backup?
Well one thing not mentioned is the fact that Luis is the one who does the mowing, coming every week in the growing season and twice a month otherwise. His remuneration from mowing our and others’ lawns helps keep him and his family alive.
George Alliger
1 year ago
Well one thing not mentioned is the fact that Luis is the one who does the mowing, coming every week in the growing season and twice a month otherwise. His remuneration from mowing our and others’ lawns helps keep him and his family alive.
Judy Johnson
1 year ago
I don’t understand the relevance of the article you have linked.
Unfortunately in my neck of the woods people have got rid of their front lawns, not to rewild, but to put down hard surfaces on which to park their numerous cars.
My garden is imperialist, globalist, unsustainable, and beautiful. Did the glories of English civilisation start with people who thought “Yeah, the weeds are just fine”. No. No. No. We don’t want thorns, prickles, and mess when can have camellias, azaleas, carnations.
I have abolished my lawn, it was just too time consuming, for if I was having lawn it had to be perfect. But if you have a family where are they to play but in the backyard on the lawn. You start with Queanie Queanie who’s got the ball, then on to French Cricket, Totem Tennis … it’s where you have parties, family gatherings, it’s where the little kids play in their inflatable swimming pools and dogs lounge around. On a sunny day you can throw down a beach towel on your beautiful green lawn and top up your vitamin D. What would be the point of a family home without a lawn?
“It was as though the aristocratic lifestyle could be built upon a few effortlessly grazing sheep. “
Actually, it pretty much can be. I would hardly call myself “aristocratic”, but I do have a couple of acres and a decent lawn, and my lawnmower hasn’t seen a day of use in over 2 years.
The sheep really do keep it mowed down. You can’t leave them on it or they’ll eat it down to nothing. That doesn’t avoid the inevitable broadleaf weed killing or fertilizing, but as lawnmowers, sheep are excellent.
I am not sure the suburban lawn has much to do with the aristocratic landscapes of Capability Brown. The purpose of these were to produce a pleasing vista. A pleasing vista is not really available in a suburban setting where you are not out of sight of your neighbours.
The lawn serves as a playground for children and their ball games and is a demonstration that order prevails in the house. My wife’s distress if the lawn is not maintained in a neat fashion has nothing to do with any aristocratic ambitions but derives from a desire not to be judged as a negligent garden slattern. A neatly mown lawn is a symbol of a well ordered household. I would prefer a well flowered meadow that would support pollinators but I recognise that this will never meet her ideal of domestic virtue whatever the ecological arguments in its favour.
The only correct response to “Is your garden imperialist?” is “**** off and leave me alone”.
“No Mow May”.
Woking-class c**p! Won’t remotely impact on the damage caused by 8-9 billion people on the Planet.
Oh well take a walk in the woods, it does wonderful things for foul temper disease.
Instead of a lawn, I have low-growing wild strawberries. All in bloom now — and I have never seen so many white blossoms. You’d think I had planted anemones.
No mowing needed. Walking on the plants barefoot is pleasant. Strawberries!
The natural world does indeed rely on us, its 7billion+ cohabiters, for its preservation, if preservation is the goal.
Re-wilding is an urban fantasy.
A re-wilded landscape in modern times is quickly overtaken by invasive species and hazardous undergrowth.
Given the space, it is possible to have a mown area, with neatly trimmed edges as well as an unmown area: preferably the area that would be the most difficult to mow.
Very thoughtful, as always.
Honestly Giles, why are you writing this when Justin and Sarah are dismantling the Church of England by declaring it institutionally racist? Please spend your time fighting the cancer of wokedom!
I can always count on this writer for a good morning groan.
Unfortunately, the author didn’t mention the extraordinary plant diversity that can be supported in churchyards, if they are maintained sympathetically. They can be sacred sanctuaries for wildlife. The delightful St Brynach’s in Nevern, Pembrokeshire did have the highest count of plant species in a British churchyard. It’s worth a visit.
I was brought up in rented housing (military quarters) which may explain why I was accustomed to small gardens mainly comprising lawns on which we played French cricket, badminton, and a little bit of football etc etc. Our last house had a hillside garden with some woodland. What a release it was to move to a house with a smaller garden on flat ground which I have sought to devote to lawn.
My lawn has been completely destroyed, not by No Mow May but by the unavailability of workers. It is now a giant weed patch and needs to be plowed under and reseeded. My wife and I are too old to do the work ourselves. Now it turns out I am supposed to think that’s a good thing? We already knew the Left only destroys but I didn’t really think they’d come for my garden. Fight back – invest in beauty.
My front garden is a riot of buttercups and Daisy flowers. There are some very pretty blue ones which my wife knows the name of but I don’t. The lime trees are in full bloom. The blackbirds are loving it.
I suspect No Mow May is about to become Thinking About it June. I shall spend the early evenings looking at nature’s beauty, drinking red wine and taking in the evening sun. So much more relaxing than mowing, weeding and rolling a patch of grass that will never pass as a lawn.
I was told that sometimes during frequent posting, Unherd just randomly vets some posts. I don’t follow this logic at all.
Perhaps but sensitivity over “demeaning” words seems to have been incorporated into the algorithm. Since the former boxer Glenn McCrorey was allegedly arrested for threatening behaviour for addressing two waitresses in London as “Pet”, a perfectly normal working class greeting in Darlington his home town, one can’t tell what is going to cause a furore now. To object to the term seems to lack any cultural sensitivity towards working-class Northerners but it seems their perspectives are not of importance to the woke.
“Kew Gardens also houses the largest collection of living seed and plant diversity on earth: 2.4 billion seeds are carefully stored, frozen or dried — a priceless insurance policy for a future time of ecological crisis.”
Not really the thrust of the article, I’ll admit, but that quote made me think of a single point of failure. Are there any backups for this backup?
Svalbard Global Seed Vault https://www.croptrust.org/our-work/svalbard-global-seed-vault/
Thank you
Well one thing not mentioned is the fact that Luis is the one who does the mowing, coming every week in the growing season and twice a month otherwise. His remuneration from mowing our and others’ lawns helps keep him and his family alive.
Well one thing not mentioned is the fact that Luis is the one who does the mowing, coming every week in the growing season and twice a month otherwise. His remuneration from mowing our and others’ lawns helps keep him and his family alive.
I don’t understand the relevance of the article you have linked.