Green spaces attached to our homes, the places we rent, or the park nearby may constitute a collection of memories. Open spaces, like a lawn, or a garden with strips of potted plants bring us to recollect the past, or, to think and plan for the future. This post is about lawns, and how much more of an asset they are, along with being a green space with emotional value.
Illustration by Malini Basu, Macalester College
Man mowing his well kept lawn. | Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Dear Patient Reader,
A lawn or garden is symbolic to special people and places held close to the heart: It is representative of a home, family, a place to come back to. It also represents one’s financial status, and ownership of property. Gardens and lawns hold memories; your baby taking her first steps on the wet grass or the daily instance of picking up the paper the newsboy sent flying across to your doorstep. In the United States, lawns were (and are) a large part of the American dream of owning a house. The steadfast image of a man mowing his lawn as the newsboy speedily cycles past has stood the test of time, just like the lawn.
Today, specifically synonymous to North America, but found worldwide, exists a significant industry around lawn care and management.
Along with the concept of lush front lawns as a colonial, European cultural importwere small flower gardens, and enclosed backyards. Today, specifically synonymous to North America, but found worldwide (Because hey, the universality of landscaping and architecture) exists a significant industry around lawn care and management. A lot of people take interest and worry about their curb appeal. From urban gardeners, to landscaping, and patches of land, lawn maintenance, or lawn care, takes work. Maintaining its uniformity calls for spending on equipment, pesticide, and fertiliser. A uniform, green lawn means that you have the time and the money to have an immaculately manicured ground. In the United States, lawns connect neighbours and neighbourhoods. The lawn is a hallmark of homeownership, and is a physical manifestation of the American dream. They’re viewed as an indicator of socio-economic character. Now this may be stereotypic; a person with interest will exert effort to maintain his lawn or any plot or patch of soil, too, regardless of his circumstances. Regardless, higher income neighbourhoods will tend to have more property area left for lawns, plants, and trees. The disparity between greenery and better living is directly proportional.
And as an agricultural crop, turfgrasses come in a selection of types. Artificial grass is another option. Though synthetic grass is more expensive than natural grass, the long term maintenance costs of natural grass become exceedingly apparent. Synthetic grass, if in your liking, therefore becomes a long term investment. Installing a sprinkler system for natural grass is a worthy investment, too. Thus, increasing your home value for higher property value. First impressions can go a long way when dealing with a potential homebuyer. As does correct landscaping. At the end of the day, whichever are the ways in which you care for your property; raking the leaves, watering your plants, amounts to its resale value, if you were to put it up for sale. Nobody will want to purchase a shabby abode.
However traditional homeownership still is, ideas of a home are changing. Owning a lawn or a garden for that matter are of a lower priority for many. But, old habits die hard. It would be hard to abandon the idea and belief of the physical manifestation of material success. Something people obsess over. A bunch of diehards, we are. As a managed grass space, lawns aren’t only symbolic to property value or what you own. Not only are they economic manifestations, but manifestations of spirit and values. Potting your plants and pruning your dwarf lemon tree are two of the many things you can do. When it comes to property, whatever it may be that you own, the level of housekeeping and maintaining well kept surroundings are definitive factors to an individual’s values. It’s about the ways in which we care for the things that matter.
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References
[1] D'Costa, Krystal. 2017. “The American Obsession with Lawns.” Scientific American. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/the-american-obsession-with-lawns/.
[2] "Ibid."
[3] "Ibid."
[4] "Ibid."
[5] "Ibid."
[6] "Ibid."
[7] "Ibid."
[8] "Ibid."
[9] Wikipedia. 2021. “Lawn.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn.
[10] Iannamico, Landon. 2021. “Why do we have lawns anyway? (And what we can do instead).” The Weekender. https://www.dailycal.org/2021/03/20/why-do-we-have-lawns-anyway/.
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