For the longest time the suburban lawn reigned as king in the world of gardens. Encompassing over 80% of home gardens front and back, urban business parks and HOA common areas, the ubiquitous green carpet has long represented the pinnacle of the healthy garden and successful homeownership. With the growth of education about sustainability (and the growth in water shortages) our idea of the perfect garden is rapidly changing to encompass a more holistic approach toward designing our outdoor spaces.
While lawn was once considered a necessity for proper child rearing, more and more parents of young children are joyfully watching their children explore gardens full of blooms, bugs, and lizards while grazing on the fruit of edible plantings. More and more lawns are being turned into elaborate outdoor living areas with garden rooms, fire features, water features, and hidden meditation areas. Most importantly, more people are finding themselves outside, enjoying their gardens, inviting friends and family for outdoor dinners and sitting under the trees watching birds flit from bird bath to trees while taking in the fragrance of spring blooms.
Transforming lawns into beautiful and sustainable landscapes is my passion and creating beautiful outdoor living areas where we can enjoy the beauty of nature— whether in urban downtown or rural country— that is my art. If the lawn was ever considered the Golden Age of gardening, I consider this new renaissance of edible, useable, glorious gardens to be the Age of Enlightenment and I am thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of it all.
If you are interested in learning more about the history of our long standing obsession with lawns, the economic and environmental impacts and the changing culture surrounding them this article in the Atlantic by Megan Garber is a great read.