Laura Paquette - Lawns and the American Dream

 Lawns

There is nothing more in this world that I feel passionate about than the patchy green and brown .12-acre plot of front yard most Americans aim to have. I never understood the obsession behind having a pristine chunk of grass that others would fawn over. My love of plants didn't extend as far as the 2-inch blades of Fescues that shot up from the lawns of those who had the privilege and the time to dedicate to such a masterpiece. I think I had read in a book too young that the average American spends X amount of money on lawn care in a year. That sum of money must've been large enough for me to find lawns even more unattractive than they already were to me. However long I spent criticizing these people that chose to spend thousands of dollars on their own lawn care, I realize now that I never spent the time thinking about alternatives to lawns. In this class, I learnt that rock gardens with pollinator plants, or even better, pollinator gardens, could be an alternative for those that want gardens with color. Something attractive to those who will want green could be native varieties of plants we call "weeds". Commonly in Virginia, this includes clovers and dandelions, both of which are native and drought resistant. By making these switches, I think we can promote the nation to move toward viewing the natives as beautiful. I still ponder why so many people think that lawns look beautiful. Is it because of the even color it provides? 

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