Part II: Why Are We So Attached to Our Lawns?

The history of grass lawns goes back to at least the 12th century, when lawns were maintained with hand tools or grazing animals.  Lawns became larger and more elaborate over time, and came to be seen as a status symbol.  The bigger and fancier the lawn, the more enviable it became.  Most of the early colonists in this country used their property for edible and medicinal plants until the 1800s, when the mechanical lawn mower was invented.  Gas-powered mowers followed, as well as tools and machines for aerating, irrigating, dethatching, and more.  Lawns and their maintenance became more expensive and more time-consuming.  To this day, the goal of having an emerald-green lawn that looks like something on which Jack Nicklaus could sink a putt inspires many homeowners to invest countless hours in upkeep and large amounts of money in fertilizers and weed control.

Learn more about the history of lawns here: The Complete History of Lawns (Illustrated)

Follow the Birdhouse.farm Research blog for more in this 9 part guest series from Nancy Vaughan.