Lawns, rock and wood mulch deserts, and what could be
The front lawn is the biggest addiction of the American homeowner—even in my hometown of Davis, a city that likes to think of itself as a paragon of enlightenment and progress, yet often falls shorts in either category. Here’s a selection of photos I took on walks around the neighborhood with Stella. I make no claims as to how representative these photos are of our city at large, but I have a feeling they reflect reality pretty well. I’m not going to preach too much, but come on people, we’re in a permanent drought. And while removing your front lawn is laudable in and of itself, it’s only the first step: A bare expanse of wood chips or rocks may be maintenance-free for you, but it’s a dead zone for everybody else. You owe it to yourself and to your neighborhood to do better. (By the way, I'm only talking about non-functional lawns; the situation is different if you have kids who actively use it.) So much water and... ...maintenance needed... ...for a space that serves no purpose....