Group wants grass replanted at military cemetery

[TexasTowelie]

[font color=green]Note: Despite the obvious setup in the OP headline for TxT, this is not a thread about catnip.[/font]

EL PASO, Texas —

A group of veterans, relatives of buried soldiers and others are continuing their efforts to convince the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to replant grass a military cemetery in West Texas.

The landscape of the Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso reflects that found in the rest of the city. As part of drastic measures to stabilize its water supply, El Paso in the last two decades has ripped up grass from many public places, installing rock and cactus gardens and encouraging residents to do the same in their homes.

The Fort Bliss National Cemetery in 2007 was transformed by a $4.2 million xeriscaping project, which incorporates gravel and rock designs with plants that are accustomed to the dry climate.

Earlier this year, the cemetery received the Texas Environmental Excellence Award for saving about $400,000 a year in reduced water costs, labor fertilizer and pesticides.

More at http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/military/group-wants-grass-replanted-at-military-cemetery/nbSms/ .

[Xipe Totec]

1. Ridiculous

Lawns? Really? Why?

Does a lawn more accurately reflect somebody's idea of restful sleep? Whose?

Look around and marvel at the beauty of the land around you and don't try to make everything look like an XVII century English estate. Some of us have never been to one nor share any significant cultural attachment to that particular vision of restful sleep.

[cloudbase]

2. Last month I buried my brother

at the national cemetery in Phoenix. Not a blade of grass around, and the place really looks nice. It fits in perfectly with the natural landscape.

El Paso doesn't get a whole lot of rain, so getting rid of the grass and the irrigation to keep it green makes plenty of sense.