There is no doubt that the use of lawn grass in most front yards across North America is entirely a cultural thing. One where people simply feel they need to conform to their neighbours with a sort of ‘collective mindset’ as to what is acceptable and appropriate.
However, that vision is changing when it comes to the familiar grass lawn. To keep lawns shiny and bright requires the use of many things which we are now coming to question. To start with, in many climates such as Saskatchewan, lawns only look green and pristine when they are regularly watered. Increasingly we are coming to realize water is a resource that has limits, at least in terms of water that is safe to drink. When we turn on the garden sprinkler to water our lawns only so that they look the green we want to see; we use that water resource. In the grand scheme of water preservation, our need for a green lawn seems a very poor use of the resource.
Society is also showing growing concern over the use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizer. Farmers are certainly aware of the growing pressure to limit the use of such products where it makes sense, because of concerns with the possible run-off to area watercourses, and residue on what is being grown. But, on a per-acre basis, the use of such products on our urban lawns can be far greater. After all, it takes fertilizer to keep a grass lawn lush, and no one wants a yellow dandelion growing in that sea of green grass, so pour on the herbicide. Interestingly, clover is being suggested as an alternative to grass for lawns.
The plant simply offers advantages over grass.
As a nitrogen-fixing legume, clover works symbiotically with bacteria to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available to both itself and neighbouring plants. A 100 percent clover lawn would reasonably need little or no fertilizer. Clover sends down deep roots, which allows it to find water in places grass cannot, which means in a time of drought, you need to turn on the sprinkler less. Clovers suitable for lawns grow close to the ground too, which means you need to rise early in days off far less often to mow the lawn. And, the list of benefits clover offers goes on, suggesting with a shift in our thinking, there are better things than grass in our urban yards.
- Calvin Daniels
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
