I really hate mowing the grass. Anyone else out there whose NOT into "perfect" green grass?

[love_katz]

10. Definitely not a fan of lawns.

I want to get rid of mine...bit by bit.

I want to replace it with raised beds so I can raise herbs, food, and some flowers.

I wish I could afford to do like Nola bear, upthread: replace the lawn in the shady parts of the yard with a little pool/waterfall (preferably solar powered on the waterfall), and huckleberries, Oregon Grape, salal, and other native plants. Sounds like paradise to me.

Lawns were originally established as status symbols by sheep farmers in Europe. It was the pasture you could afford to not have grazed.

And they are a stupid, wasteful concept and too often a burden on the environment as well. People plant, fertilize, spray poisons so no other plants will grow in their lawn, mow, edge, rake...and throw the 'crop' away!

I realize some folks with families might need the space to play in, and some folks are constrained by what their home owners association will let them have, but I think Food, Not Lawns, is a much better concept. If not used for raising food, then planting native plants seems like a better idea.

With that said, I let mine be invaded by other plants. It looks better, and seems to be healthier. Mine has a very healthy crop of dandelions, narrow-leaved plantain, wild geranium, several kinds of clover, and a very nice patch of naturalized greek oregano. And...I let it dry up in the summer. I can't afford to water it.

So...you are not alone it not liking lawns, nor their endless needy care.