On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 19:15:37 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:


Something not often discussed in this group are the choices of herbage
in a grassed area available from judicial use of cutting height and the
frequency at which it is done. Long ago, we used to keep our main lawn
at 'croquet' standard because we had a croquet set and regular visitors
who liked to play croquet. More recently we like to encourage some
wildflowers and wildlife while still keeping a recreational lawn.

By selecting a cutting height and sticking to it, also by keeping
herbage near to that height by regular cutting, it is possible to opt
for a given range of naturally self-set wildflowers. The variety of non-
grass plants will vary according to the chosen height of cut, but it
will stay fairly constant if the height of herbage is constant.

At present I am cutting at approx. 3-4 cm. and that gives us a cheerful
and wholly self-set display of daisies, buttercups, clovers, self-heal,
celandines, mosses and others according to season and climate. Commonly
unwelcome (in lawns) plants like nettles, thistles, comfrey, cow
parsley, cow parsnip, hogweed, ground elder, brambles, horse/mare's
tail, bindweed, knot-weed et al. are not seen in our lawn, though there
are some of most of them not too far away in other even wilder areas.

I have to admit to cutting at about 8 inches - which leads, it has to
be said, to some pretty interesting vistas at ground level.
Not only is there a wide variety of wild flowers and herbs, but a
noticeable increase in the wildlife that inhabit said 'lawn'.

I find the odd giant thistle popping up - and these can be a bit nasty
when you have bare-footed kids running about - and as they start off
as a rosette they tend not to be much worried by a cut that's anything
less than a couple of inches.
If they find themselves in the right spot I like to let them grow -
it's a spectacular plant. Likewise the Burdock.

To be honest, I get to stand on some of the most ornate lawns in the
country and quite enjoy gazing across acres of regimented turf (
probably because I don't have to mow it! ) - but I still prefer to sit
on a log in my garden, cuppa in hand, and watch the insects scurrying
through the unkempt collection of Vetches, Scarlet Pimpernel,
Speedwell, Clover, Crane's Bill etc...

Not sure that you could call the collection a 'choice of herbage' as
such - more a case of leave it and see what turns up.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk