On my five acres, about one acre is taken up by a house, pond, driveways, and barn.  Two acres are mowed by a few sheep and goats.  I cut about a half-acre with a scythe, and the rest is wild, a certified backyard wildlife habitat.

http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/

http://www.scythesupply.com

Using a scythe is one of the most pleasurable activities, believe it or not.  Whether for cutting grass or wildflowers (don't say weed!), a scythe will do it all; and it looks really cool.  For those who are into active meditation, there's hardly anything more mindful than working with one of these blades.  It's a dance, and it's real, good, old-fashoned exercise.  Hare Krsna.

NWF_BackyardWildlifeHabitat

ScytheSupply

There, that's better.
Hare Krishna.

Well done, Umbra!  I'd like to add that there may be a bit of a "sharp blade" mystique.  I'm currently doing our lawn with a handmower picked up 5 years ago from the curb, and I've never had it sharpened.  Lawns do differ, of course, both in size and in toughness, and perhaps in the pickiness of spouses.

More important, tho, for someone who "hates lawns," is to realize that a law requiring the lawn to be mowed is not Newton's Fourth Law but human made and thus alterable.  In 1975 the Environmental Commission of the town I live in, Yellow Springs, Ohio--a grandchild of Gaylord Nelson, so to speak--persuaded the Village Council to revise a "must mow" law to allow "lawns" of, say, queen anne's lace and chicory.  The exact text of the ordinance, which addresses safety and hay fever issues, is at http://yscitizens.org/ysdocs/ordinances/674.htm#02

Other similarly improved laws surely exist.

The law came about because we environmental activists were constantly being told "You want to regulate everything, tell people what to do."  So I thought and thought to find a way to improve the environment by regulating less.  Of course the town fathers (sic) changed their tune when liberalization of the "must mow" law was suggested, leading me to comment that we now had a new form of pollutant in town--namely, hot air.  But the idea eventually carried the day.

A problem EC is working on right now is how to get more residents to take advantage of the freedom not to mow.  For very few do.  We are thinking of organizing an official tour of "eco-yards" to help spread the idea, but I'm having trouble thinking of suitably different models of lawnless lawns. Some good ideas have been posted in the comments -- more advice would be appreciated.

Anyone got any leads on where to find a reel mower in the UK?

Have been googling for 30 mins looking for an answer...

Cheers

CH

http://cityhippy.blogspot.com

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, http://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.

For all of those wanting to get into the TDF action whilst mowing their lawns:

http://www.racecannondale.com/project.htm

I wonder if someone has more than a prototype?

Grass is stocked directly into disposable bag

Air and residues are recycled to protect body and grass

Bagmower® can be used with all kinds of bag

and then :

Mow quickly and easily
Prevent grass and body against spores, allergens
Suppress grass blocking

To get more information :

http://www.tondre.fr/indexen