Re: If you could get rid of your grass...
- Subject: Re: If you could get rid of your grass...
- From: A*
- Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 19:13:29 -0500
sheep do a great job on large expanses of grass--fenced out of flower
gardens of course! They trim right up close, recycle the clippings, and
look picturesque. They even love "hopkinton bamboo" and will remove every
tiny shoot as it appears--ditto for rose bushes, briars, --everything except
pokeweed and thistles. They are what give that special look to some
landscapes. Judy Warner
----- Original Message -----
From: <ECPep@aol.com>
To: <perennials@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 12:39 PM
Subject: Re: If you could get rid of your grass...
> In a message dated 1/28/02 11:31:36 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> nsterman@plantsoup.com writes:
>
> << Following up the discusion about mowing by headlamp -- I wonder -- if
> you could get rid of your grass, what would you replace it wtih? And
> if you could use something else for a green carpet in place of grass,
> what would you use? >>
>
> I have just returned from a trip to Sout America and saw almost no grass
> surrounding any houses except wealthy homes where someone other than the
> owner kept the grass. I saw parts of half a continent and grass is not a
> priority.
>
> The UK, the instigator of all this grass uses small patches in private
> gardens. Mostly the grass is used to enhance or frame the beds or to
place a
> few chairs and a table. Often the patch or strip is perfect but it is
just a
> patch or strip.
>
> These comments are not directed toward golf course (some are sand courses
> which is more sensible in low rainfall areas) or public areas such as
parks.
>
> We have mixed beds surrounding the house and adjacent to a barn. Overtime
> they have eaten up the grass near the house.
>
> A digression: When you get older you are far less likely to lay out grand
> spaces, you will become more thrifty with your time in the garden.
>
> I think a few feet of grass strip (remember all need some sort of edging)
> framing beds is OK and keeping the fields from coming up to the door is
good.
> Beyond that hills and vales of grass are just work and are an ecological
> disaster as well. I would like in the best possible world of my garden,
> paths with plants of all sizes and groups and small drifts all served by
> those paths. Here there a small stone plaza for chair or bench.
>
> Someone here who owns an armada of grass cutting machines and commands the
> fields and lawn has still not given up on being lord of the parkland.
>
> I am working on this. One does not need grass cut, fertizlized, weeded,
> water greedy, and sitting out there sending guilt through the windows as
it
> grows and grows and grows. I do not think we do anything to our grass and
> like the bad penny, it returns on a regular basis needing constant care
with
> the machines.
>
> If low planted areas are wanted the ground cover list is long and fits
every
> climate in the US.
>
> For those still in love with grass I will wager that that person is male
or
> is still young and has energy to spare.
>
> Claire Peplowski
> NYS z4
>
>
>
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