PhyllisFitzgerald’s Recent Comments

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  Your Ask is Grass

  Mariah's question and comments on mowing is typical of many people who want to do the right thing, and other comments seem to support her.  Let me tell you what we have done about this problem in Louisville, KY at the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District.  In 2001 we started a program called "Lawn Care for Cleaner Air," and gave recognition awards to home & business owners who minimized their use of gasoline lawn maintenance, either by re-landscaping, or using mowers that pollute less.  In the 3 1/2 years since we started the program, we have given almost 2,000 awards--maybe 1500 who bought reel or electric mowers, string trimmers, and blowers (gas string trimmers & blowers pollute more than mowers.)  The other 500 or so winners actually re-landscaped part or all of their yards to they reduce or eliminate mowing.  Mariah states that her new town mandates grass, but there are several ways to get around that.  The best way is to make attractive beds or islands of low-maintenance plants--trees, shrubs, flowers, decorative grasses, ground cover, etc.--and do it a little at a time.  After several seasons, during which you enlarge or add new beds, you have removed most of the grass and have a lovely landscape that is enjoyed by (nearly) everyone.  It is really catching on, and many neighborhoods now have tours of their low-maintenance landscaping yards.  You may view many interesting landscapes on our web page, www.apcd.org/lawncare, by just clicking the link for winners and pictures, then click highlighted zip codes.

  Our agency recently offered a "Low-Maintenance Landscaping Design" competition (with a grant from EPA) with numerous substantial prizes, and the winning/best designs will go on our website, http://www.apcd.org/lawncare/design_contest/ .  Winners will be announced in August, and the designs will be posted on our website for anyone to use free of charge.  To avoid "cookie-cutter" landscapes, entrants were required to list alternative plants for greater replicability.  At any rate, beginning in September, 2005, you may look at the website and create your own design, using ideas from the contest.

  One last thought on grass vs. anything else is that numerous lawsuits have been brought by municipalities (especially upscale developments) to demand uniformity.  These have not produced the uniformity sought by grass-lovers, as shown, for example, by Laurie Otto, a founding member of Wild Ones Native Landscapers, whose native plant yard triumphed over her Wisconsin city's ordinance when such a demand that the area be returned to grass. SO, Mariah, GO FOR IT! little by little, enlarging your non-grass landscape, but keep it beautiful and educate people as you go along. On Umbra on lawn mowers posted 4 years, 4 months ago 12 Responses