Lawns are on many  people’s minds these days.
Some are tinkering with the idea of doing away with their lawn or at least reducing its size in order to save money on watering, fertilizing and time mowing!
A new website, Lawn Reform.Org, launched today and I’m excited to be one of the founding contributers to the site!
“United by their common goal of reducing the impact of lawns on the environment and human and animal health, nine of the leading horticultural communicators in the United States announced the formation of the Lawn Reform Coalition, a media campaign that will provide up-to-date information for home and business owners across the country.”
You can read the rest of the official press release here.
“Common goal” is an important reference in describing the coalition members.
We don’t all agree on the use of lawns.
The “ringleader” of this coalition is Susan Harris, co-founder of Garden Rant.
Susan was careful to assemble a group with diverse opinions about lawn reform but who agree on a common goal:
“To share information on organic lawn care, lawn selection and landscape design ideas for yards with reduced or no lawns.”
I’m a “moderate” when it comes to arguments about  lawns use.
I prefer gardens over lawns but I recognize that lawns have their place, especially in public venues where large crowds gather for concerts, picnics or recreation.
“Consider using a lawn bred for specific climates, a lawn with minimal watering and fertilizing needs,” is my motto.
Some of you have been following my blog series on the “UC Verde Lawn Test for Los Angeles,” where I report on a lawn that has been specifically bred for hot, dry areas.
Yes, I take my own advice and look forward to sharing alternative lawn information as well as design ideas for no-lawn and reduced lawn yards.
Representing the more radical view on Lawn Reform is my friend and co-hort, Billy Goodnick, a California landscape architect, writer and television host.
Billy  is a true ” lawn hater” and makes no apologies for his opinion as expressed on his blog, “Cool Green Gardens.”
“I hate most lawns and will remind you of that fact from time to time. My turf diatribes inflame a lot of readers and generate the most comments from the Loyal Order of Lawnists (LOL).”
This should be a lot of fun!
In all his passion, Billy is a realist and accepts a lawn that is  used to “play ball with your up-and-coming Cy Young Award winner.”
Thanks for reminding us Billy that lawns are for active users and not mere spectators.
Looking for information on organic lawn care, a photo gallery of lawn alternatives and ground covers, up-to-date news on the status of lawns from all over the country, a guide to books, websites, films and newspaper articles regarding lawns?
It’s all at LawnReform.org.
To kick-start this new venture, Susan Morrison, landscape designer, coalition member and blogger at Blue Planet Garden is running a contest, and three lucky winners will receive a copy of John Greenlee’s new book, The American Meadow Garden, courtesy of Timber Press.
To participate in the Lawn Reform Blog Contest, simply write a post on your blog that answers the question:
“I used to have a lawn, but now I have…†Get over to Susan’s blog now and enter to win this book by one of my favorite plantsmen.
You can watch the trailer for the “American Meadow Garden” book right here.
Other contributing members include, Â Tom Christopher blogging at Green Perspectives, Tom Engelman of the Grass Roots Program, Evelyn Hadden, founder of the informative site, LessLawn.com, Ginny Stibolt, author of “Sustainable Gardening for Florida,” and Paul Tukey, founder of the Safe Lawns Organizaton. Subscribe to Eden Makers Blog for sustainable gardening and garden design information, among many other interesting offerings!
You post informative posts. Bookmarked !
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Shirley
My husband and I came across your story and found it to be informative. Thanks for the article and I look forward to seeing more from this website soon. Is there a way to be notified of more posts that are published here on this web site?
We came across your website and thought it was to be informative. My husband and I appreciated your story and I look forward to seeing more from this site very soon. Is there a way to know when there is more stories that are written here on this blog site?
How about Bahiagrass? We’re using Bahiagrass for our landscape and we have seven good reasons for it. Please check this to find out: http://www.gardenersreach.com/post/Why-Bahiagrass.aspx
Hi Anna,
Thanks for commenting and yes, you presented your position very well.
It’s interesting that lawn reform talk puts gardeners in “guilt mode” even when they are innocent, like you!
I’m not for removing lawns all over the country. I believe in educating the public on lawn alternatives that work the best in their area under sustainable conditions- less watering , less chemicals, less maintenance.
In my area of Los Angeles, there is a great need to update consumers on drought tolerant lawns since we are under strict watering ordinances and water guzzling lawns are not appropriate to have here.
I read your blog and notice that you get plenty of rain in your area of NC. I’m sure that this offsets the amount of water that you need to use for supplemental watering. Chemicals are another subject altogether. Our expectations as consumers usually translates into “100% weed-free, green, lush lawns.” This sometimes leads to overuse of chemicals. I encourage using as little as possible and opting for organic solutions whenever possible.
The bottom line is that this is a free country and everyone is free to tend to their plot as they wish. I hope that I can inspire people to think a second time before selecting an inappropriate lawn, over=watering or using too many chemicals.
Go and enjoy your low maintenance lawn!
Shirley
Lazy Gardens, just wanted you to know that I came by to read your response and thank you.
Anna – There are many people who overuse “organic” fertilizers too. It can be very expensive, especially if you buy into the mindset of applying all kinds of crap just because it’s supposed to do miracles … and without finding out what you really need, and whether the claims are biologically probable.
Like Shirley, I’ll break out the Roundup when it’s needed, and I’ve used plenty of AMDRO on fire ants (because it’s only going to kill them, not the rest of my bugs and birds).
As for the rest, I’m a lazy cheapskate … so I do as little as possible to my plants. The birds and predator insects eat enough of the bugs so the plants aren’t munched to the ground/
My semi-organically treated lawn ($480 for the plugs) has had maybe $10 worth of non-organic fertilizer, a whole lot of home-made (free) compost to improve the clay soil, and reliable watering.
Oh–well, peeking from behind a corner…..I have avoided this subject cause I’ve got almost an acre in a typical NC neighborhood. By typical I don’t me manicured–but just mowed and kept neat. I only know two people who go to the trouble of using chemicals. We do all plug and seed.
It’s very easy to maintain our lawns and I did consider doing the grass like you are growing on your lot. But it was in the thousands of dollars to convert an acre. If some of it died, I’d have weeds in no time that would take over the ornamental grass that did make it.
So I feel like my lawn is the most organic and least trouble to maintain. It cost me about $300 per year and with our cool summer we’ve only mowed it about twice a month.
We rarely water it anymore. In fact I’ve not watered all summer this year. I’m wondering what some of you pay for your organic natural lawns where expensive grasses are planted and such. Does it cost more than $300 a year? Really, I don’t know. So I’ve weighed all the cost and upkeep for my area and decided to keep most of my lawn.
Now I am thinking of making the backyard a great old big raised bed vegetable garden. I want walkways between the beds. Right now that soil won’t nurture vegetables so I’ve got a long process of building the beds and preparing them for such crops. That’s years in the making.
I don’t think any people in my area would convert to this idea of natural lawns because it would become snake and rat/mice infested in no time. Houses are far apart and the town has a height ordinance. You can’t let your grass get out of hand or you’ll be fined.
Our homes and neighborhoods in the rural areas have large spaces of natural land between them and if our lawns went natural—the critters, ticks, mosquitos, and such would make life so we couldn’t go outside. It would discourage neighborly like visiting.
Weeds would take over and run out the good plants. I know cause it’s hard for me just to keep up with my flower gardens.
I hope I’ve presented this well and not offended anyone. I do understand what you all are trying to accomplish. I think some people waste money on a lawn and hurt the environment with their maintenance practices. But am really wondering if this will work in my kind of neighborhood? Are there any examples of it working in a place like mine?
This is one heck of a timely book and project. As you know I deal with the same issues, Shirley. Well done!
By the way, you are now intimately involved with me! I used your blog as a referral speaking of blogs I enjoy most. It came in one of those MeMe things where you can read all about me, too, in the most intimate detail! What an offer, eh? Normally, I don’t do that but I was conned into it by a friend. You can stop by and pick up the organic present any old time.
I love your project.
I love your question and am glad somebody asked it.
Lawn care doesn’t “have to be organic,” it can be whatever the lawn owner decides after educating themselves on the alternatives- chemical or organic. I can’t make that decision for someone else.
I always prefer the most natural solution for my garden problems- pests, diseases before I rush out and buy a stronger chemical solution. That is just me.
I also don’t expect my garden to look “Home and Garden” perfect either, so I’m fine with waiting around for a natural solution to take hold.
My whole landscape is edible also, so I want to feel okay grabbing the Meyer lemons near my buffalo grass without wondering if it has been sprayed with something that I shouldn’t be ingesting.
I don’t think chemicals are evil, by the way. In my business, RoundUp is used to eradicate ivy because nothing seems to work as well. I have no problem with that.
Shirley
I’m not against chemicals when they are used according to directions.
“organic lawn care”
Why does it have to be “organic”?