Comments on: Lawn Love

By: George

George — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:57:36 +0000

Dear Elizabeth – Beautifully stated. Thanks very much.

By: eliz.anderson

eliz.anderson — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:55:31 +0000

IT has cost me a lot of backbreaking work since our big storm of 9-14-2009 to get the fallen tree damage repaired,but where would we play cornhole, horseshoes,watch the toddlers learn to walk without skining their knees, have a place for our family picnics,eat lots of chicken and sit and just rest?I need my lawn just like I need sunshine.

By: George

George — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:18:29 +0000

Dear Nancy – Thanks very much for the feedback. It is odd; lots of people called and emailed me personally, asking why I—a garden professional—defend lawns. It’s because I love them, that’s all. These critics—most of them ill-informed—cannot resist advocating for their elimination. I just don’t get it.

By: Nancy Swedelius

Nancy Swedelius — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:17:32 +0000

I loved your piece about lawns, as I am debating whether or not to try and save my own lawn from the moss invasion. The lawn is 30 years old,bumpy and a pain to mow with the springy moss in it. I love looking down the yard over 400 feet of well manicured grass and flower beds and , Yes, I do feel democratic! Life, liberty and the pursuit of grass! I have made up my mind. The lawn STAYES!

By: George

George — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:52:21 +0000

Dear Carolyn – Hear, hear. Thanks much.

By: Carolyn Hannan

Carolyn Hannan — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:51:06 +0000

I read Pollan’s books and I don’t think he mentions any grazers. These animals would “mow” the meadow and fertilize it. When we maintain lawns, we subsitute for the grazers. Lawns are at least as good as meadows.

By: George

George — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:05:14 +0000

Dear Sharyn – Thank you so much.

By: Sharyn

Sharyn — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:03:55 +0000

I love your lawn love article… and I side with you… SAve the Lawn ! (Pray for rain)

By: George

George — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:07:07 +0000

Dear Katie – Isn’t it amazing how neat grass is? I marvel at it also. That’s what I love about golf—all the extraordinary grass.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:06:41 +0000

I haven’t seen the discussion of the lawn as an agent of carbon sequestration anywhere else. So thanks for that.

I gained a new appreciation of grass as a groundcover trying to organically garden my large (.75 acre) lot adjacent to a poorly managed forest preserve. I could not keep up with the weeds, try as I might! Grass outperformed all of the many (sometimes very expensive) groundcover materials I tried.