Lawn

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A lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other low durable plants, which usually are maintained at a lower and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn. In recreational contexts, the specialised names turf, pitch, field or green may be used, depending on the sport and the continent.

A garden with a lawn

Contents

Uses

Baseball fields, like this one, Citi Field in Queens, New York are covered with grass lawns, heavily trimmed, watered, and fertilized.

Lawns are a common feature of private gardens and public landscapes and parks in many parts of the world now. Lawns are created for aesthetic pleasure as well as for sports or other outdoor recreational use. Lawns are useful as a playing surface both because they mitigate erosion and dust generated by intensive foot traffic and because they provide a cushion for players in sports such as Rugby, football, soccer, cricket, baseball, golf, tennis, and lawn bocce.

History

Main article: History of the lawn

Lawns became popular with the aristocracy in northern Europe from the Middle Ages onward. The early lawns were not always distinguishable from pasture fields. It is speculated the association between the word 'pasture' and biblical mentions made a cultural affinity for some. The damp climate of maritime Western Europe in the north made lawns possible to grow and manage. They were not a part of gardens in other regions and cultures of the world until contemporary influence.

Before the invention of mowing machines in 1830, lawns were managed very differently. Lawns were an element of wealthy estates and manor houses and in some places were maintained by the labour-intensive methods of scything and shearing. In most situations they were also pasture land maintained through grazing by sheep or other livestock. Areas of grass grazed regularly by rabbits, horses or sheep over a long period often form a very low, tight sward similar to a modern lawn. This was the original meaning of the word "lawn", and the term can still be found in place-names. Some forest areas where extensive grazing is practiced still have these semi-natural lawns. For example, in the New Forest, England, such grazed areas are common and are known as lawns, for example Balmer Lawn.

A striped lawn effect, from mowing in alternating directions.

It was not until the Tudor and Elizabethan times that the garden and the lawn became a place created first as walkways and social areas. They were made up of meadow plants, such as camomile, a particular favourite. In the early 17th century the Jacobean epoch of gardening began. It was during this period that the closely-cut "English" lawn was born. By the end of this period, the English lawn was a symbol of status of the aristocracy and gentry.

In the early 18th century landscape gardening entered another design style. William Kent and Lancelot "Capability Brown" brought the Landscape garden style into popularity. Lawns appeared to flow from the garden into the outer reaches of the estate landscape. The open "English style" of parkland first spread across Britain and Ireland, and then across Europe, such as the Garden à la française being replaced by the French landscape garden.

In the United States it was not until after the Civil War in the 1870s that lawns began to appear beyond affluent properties and city parks. Most had neither the hired labor or leisure time to cut a field of grass with scythes, and most raised vegetables and flowers. During the Victorian era, as more plants were introduced and available horticulturally in Europe, lawns became smaller as flower beds were created and filled with perennials, sculptures, and water features. At the end of the 19th century suburban development with land around residences began, and along with sprinkler technology, improved and mass produced lawn mowers, new expectations about gardens, and a shorter working weeks; lawns came of age in the U.S. and northern Europe. Through the 20th century Western landscape influence brought the lawn to many parts of the world.

Types of lawn plants

Lawns need not be, and have not always been, made up of grasses alone. Other plants for lawn-like usable garden areas are sedges, low herbs and wildflowers, and ground covers that can be walked upon.

The area on the right was not mowed since the previous autumn.

There are thousands of varieties of grasses and grasslike plants for lawns, each adapted to specific conditions of precipitation and irrigation, seasonal temperatures, and sun/shade tolerances. Plant hybridizers and botanists are constantly creating and finding improved varieties of the basic species and new ones, often more economical and environmentally sustainable by needing less water, fertilizer, pest and disease treatments, and maintenance. The three basic categories are 'cool season grasses,' 'warm season grasses,' and 'grass alternatives.'

Grasses

Many different species of grass are used, depending on the intended use and the climate. Coarse grasses are used where active sports are played, and finer grasses for ornamental lawns looked upon. Some grasses adapted to oceanic climates with cooler summers, and others to tropical and continental climates with hotter summers. Often a mix grass or low plant types is used to form a stronger lawn when one type does better in the warmer seasons and the other in the colder ones.

Cool season grasses

Cool season grasses start growth at 5 °C (41 °F), and grow at their fastest rate when temperatures are between 10 °C (50 °F) to 25 °C (77 °F), in climates that have relatively mild/cool summers, with two periods of rapid growth in the spring and autumn.[1] They retain their color well in extreme cold and typically grow very dense, carpetlike lawns with relatively little thatch.

Warm season grasses

Warm season grasses only start growth at temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F), and grow fastest when temperatures are between 25 °C (77 °F) to 35 °C (95 °F), with one long growth period over the spring and summer (Huxley 1992). They often go dormant in cooler months, turning shades of tan or brown. Many warm season grasses are quite drought tolerant, and can handle very high summer temperatures, although temperatures below −15 °C (5.0 °F) can kill most southern ecotype warm season grasses. The northern varieties such as buffalograss and blue grama are hardy to 45 °C (113 °F).

Grass alternatives

Carex species and cultivars are well represented in the horticulture industry as 'sedge' alternatives for 'grass' in mowed lawns and garden meadows. Both low growing and spreading ornamental cultivars and native species are used in for sustainable landscaping as low maintenance and drought tolerant grass replacements for lawns and garden meadows.[2][3] wildland habitat restoration projects and natural landscaping and gardens use them also for 'user friendly' areas.[4][5] The J. Paul Getty Museum has used Carex pansa (Meadow sedge) and Carex praegracilis (Dune sedge) expansively in the Sculpture Gardens in Los Angeles.[6]

Some lower sedges used are:

Ground cover alternatives

Some lawns are replaced with low ground covers, such as Creeping Thyme, Camomile, Lippia, Purple flowering Mazus, Grey Dymondia, creeping Sedums, and Creeping Jenny.[9] Other alternatives to lawns include meadows, drought tolerant xeriscape gardens, natural landscapes, native plant habitat gardens, paved Spanish Courtyard and Patio gardens, butterfly gardens, rain gardens, and kitchen gardens. Trees and shrubs in close proximity to lawns provide habitat for birds and in traditional, cottage and wildlife gardens.

Lawn care & maintenance

Seasonal lawn establishment and care varies depending on the climate zone and type of lawn that is grown.

Planting

Early autumn, spring, and early summer are the primary seasons to seed, lay sod, plant 'liners,' or 'sprig' new lawns; when the soil is warmer and air cooler. Seeding is the least expensive, while taking longer for the lawn to establish, the deeper rooting can make a more durable lawn. Sodding provides an almost 'instant lawn' and can be planted in most temperate climates in any season, while being more expensive and more vulnerable to drought. Hydroseeding is a quick and less expensive method of planting larger and sloped or hillside landscapes. Some grasses and sedges are available and planted from 'liner' and 4" containers, from 'flats,' and 'plugs' or 'sprigs;' and are planted apart to grow together.

Maintenance

Various organic and inorganic or synthetic fertilizers are available, with instant or time-release applications. Pesticides, which includes biological and chemical herbicides, insecticides and fungicides are available. Consideration for their effects on the lawn and garden ecosystem, and via runoff and dispersion on the surrounding environment, can constrain their use. For example, in Canada a province (Quebec) and over 130 municipalities prohibit the use of synthetic lawn pesticides.[10][10] The Ontario provincial government promised on September 24, 2007 to also implement a province-wide ban on the cosmetic use of lawn pesticides, for protecting the public. Medical and environmental groups support such a ban.[11] On April 22, 2008, the Provincial Government of Ontario announced that it will pass legislation that will prohibit, province-wide, the cosmetic use and sale of lawn and garden pesticides.[12] The Ontario legislation would also echo Massachusetts law requiring pesticide manufacturers to reduce the toxins they use in production.[13]

Sustainable gardening uses organic horticulture methods such as organic fertilizers, biological pest control, beneficial insects, and Companion planting among other methods to sustain an attractive lawn in a safe garden. An example of an organic herbicide is corn gluten meal, which releases an organic dipeptide into the soil that inhibits root formation of germinating weed seeds. An insecticide alternative example is applying beneficial nematodes to combat grubs. The Integrated Pest Management approach is a coordinated low impact approach.[14]

Mowing
Closeup of droplets of water on blades of grass

Maintaining a rough lawn requires only occasional cutting with a suitable machine, or grazing by animals. There is often heavy social pressure to mow one's lawn regularly and to keep up with the Joneses. Local municipal ordinances commonly require homeowners to keep grass cut.[15]

Summer lawn care requires raising the lawn mower for cool season grass, and lowering it for warm season lawns. Lawns will require longer and more frequent watering, best done in early morning to encourage a stronger root system. This is also the time to apply an all-purpose fertilizer. During the hot summer months, lawns may be susceptible to fungus disease. It’s advisable to take a sod sample to a local landscape expert for testing and treating the yard, if necessary.

In the autumn, lawns can be mowed at a lower height and thatch buildup that occurs in warm season grasses should be removed, although lawn experts are divided in their opinions on this. This is also a good time to add a sandy loam and apply fertilizer, one that contains some type of wetting agent. Cool season lawns can be planted in autumn if there is adequate rainfall.

Lawn care in the winter is minimal, requiring only light feedings of organic material, such as green-waste compost, and minerals to encourage earthworms and beneficial microbes.

Maintaining high visibility lawns may require special maintenance procedures:

  • Mowing regularly with a sharp blade at an even height.
  • Not mowing when lawn is wet.
  • Not removing more than 30% to 40% of the plant tissue.
  • Alternating the direction of cut from previous mowing.
  • Scarifying and raking, to remove dead grass and prevent tufting.
  • Rolling, (to encourage tillering (branching of grass plants) and to level the ground).
  • Top dressing with sand, soil or other material.
  • Spiking or aeration (to relieve compaction of the soil).

Environmental concerns

Concerns, criticisms, and ordinances regarding lawns come from the environmental consequences:

  • Most lawns are composed of a single species of plant (monoculture), which reduces biodiversity, especially when the lawn covers a large area. They usually are composed of non-native introduced species to the area, which can further decrease a locale's biodiversity and vital habitats supporting an ecosystem..
  • Lawn maintenance often uses synthetic (inorganic chemicals) pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which can harm the environment.
    • For example, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Kuwait, and Belize have placed restrictions on the use of the herbicide 2,4-D.
  • The use of pesticides and fertilizers, requiring fossil fuels for manufacturing, distribution, and application; have been shown to contribute to global warming. Whereas sustainable organic techniques have been shown to help reduce global warming.[16]
A lawn sprinkler

Water conservation

  • Maintaining a green lawn sometimes requires large amounts of water. This was not a problem in temperate England where the concept of the lawn originated, as natural rainfall was sufficient to maintain a lawn's health. However the exporting of the lawn ideal to more arid regions of the world, such as the U.S. Southwest and Australia, has crimped already scarce water resources in such areas, requiring larger, more environmentally invasive water supply systems. Grass typically goes dormant during cold, winter months, and turns brown during hot, dry summer months, thereby reducing its demand for water. Many property owners consider this "dead" appearance unacceptable and therefore increase watering during the summer months. Grass can also recover quite well from a drought.
  • In the United States lawn heights are generally maintained by gasoline-powered lawnmowers, which contribute to urban smog during the summer months. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that in some urban areas, up to 5% of smog was due to pre-1997 small gasoline engines such as are typically used on lawnmowers. Since 1997, the EPA has mandated emissions controls on newer engines in an effort to reduce smog.[17]
  • However, using ecological techniques including organic lawn management, the impact of lawns can be reduced. Such methods include: the use of local grasses, sedges, and low herbs; higher mowing techniques; low volume irrigation, 'grasscycling' grass clippings in place; an integrated pest management program; exclusive organic fertilizer and compost use; and including a variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, and other plants surrounding the lawn. A positive benefit of a healthy lawn is that it filters contaminants and prevents run-off and erosion of bare dirt.
  • In addition to the environmental criticisms, some gardeners question the aesthetic value of lawns, especially in climates and cultures different from the lawn's homeland in England.

See also

Lawns

Gardening

Further reading

  • Bormann, F. Herbert, et al. (1993) Redesigning the American Lawn.
  • Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening (Lawns: Ch. 3: pp. 26–33) (Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-47494-5)
  • Jenkins, V. S. (1994). The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession. (Smithsonian Books. ISBN 1-56098-406-6)
  • Steinberg, T. (2006). American Green, The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn. (W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 0-393-06084-5)
  • Wasowski, Sally and Andy (2004). Requiem for a Lawnmower.

External links

References

  1. ^ Huxley, A., ed. (1992). Lawns. In New RHS Dictionary of Gardening 3: 26-33. Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-47494-5
  2. ^ a b c d e http://www.nativeson.com/annotated_catalog/grasscatalog.htm access date: 5/25/2010
  3. ^ http://www.elnativogrowers.com/carex_subpage.htm access date: 5/22/2010
  4. ^ a b http://www.suncrestnurseries.com/descript/carex.html access date: 5/22/2010
  5. ^ http://www.provenwinners.com; access date: 2/22/2010
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Bornstein, Carol, Fross, David, and O'Brien, Bart; 'California Native Plants for the Garden;' Cachuma Press, Los Olivos, CA; 2005; ISBN 0-9628505-8-6, 0-9628505-9-4. pp. 74-5.
  7. ^ http://www.sanmarcosgrowers.com; access date: 2/22/2010
  8. ^ a b "Cornflower Farms". 2010-02-22. http://www.cornflowerfarms.com. 
  9. ^ Lunn, Matthew (2004-09-07). "Fact Sheet: Lawn Alternatives". Gardening Australia. http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1148898.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 
  10. ^ a b Christie, Mike (2007-03-13). "Private Property Pesticide By-laws In Canada" (pdf). The Coalition for a Healthy Ottawa. http://www.flora.org/healthyottawa/BylawList.pdf. 
  11. ^ "Why We Support a Province-wide Ban on Cosmetic Pesticides". http://cela.ca/uploads/f0803f62de5d2a1f673df7aaaca0e77b/ONPesticideBanStatement.pdf. 
  12. ^ Mittelstaedt, Martin (2008-04-22). "Ontario to prohibit cosmetic-use pesticides". Globe and Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080422.PESTICIDES22/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/. 
  13. ^ Benzie, Robert (2008-04-22). "Pesticide ban set to grow". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/416905. 
  14. ^ http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/index.html UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. access date: 5/25/2010
  15. ^ "High Weed/Grass Complaint Process". City of Akron, Ohio. http://ci.akron.oh.us/Customer_Service/Customer_Service.html#High%20Weed/Grass%20Complaint%20Process. 
  16. ^ Sayre, Laura. "Organic farming combats global warming--big time". Rodale Institute. http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/ob_31. 
  17. ^ "Answers to Commonly Asked Questions from Dealers and Distributors". U.S. EPA. August 1998. http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/f98025a.pdf. 
  18. ^ "Lawns may contribute to global warming" by Judy Lowe, Christian Science Monitor, January 22, 2010.
  19. ^ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100119133515.htm Retrieved 2010-05-17
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