"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Warren" wrote in message
news:IH_Qc.222929$IQ4.39675@attbi_s02...

Consider removing parts of the lawn, and converting them to beds. Few
things take as much time an resources as a lawn, especially when you're
trying to keep it green in summer. And few things are as boring as a
unadorned carpet of a single color. (Also, the larger your lawn is, the
more those bad spots stick-out. Larger beds draw attention away from the
smaller lawn, and well chosen perennials take far less maintenance than
grass -- especially in summer.)

Great advice all around. I especially like the bit above. I did exactly
this - I removed about 60% of the lawn area and replaced it with planting
beds. Lawns require an incredible amount of resources - fertilizer,
herbicides, water, and time. Instead of having lawn as a feature, now it
is just the element that ties the whole landscape together. Furthermore,
the only lawn that I attempt to keep in ideal condition is the part near
the
street that adjoins my neighbor. I don't water or fertilize the rear
lawn.
My neighbors remark that they don't have time to tend to flower beds, but
in
reality, they spend much more time and money on their large lawns then I
do
on my mixed shrub and perennial beds. Most of the effort comes in the
spring when I have to do the annual clean-up. After that, there is almost
no care, and I can do what is needed on my schedule, unlike a lawn that
demand cutting, feeding, and watering on its schedule. I also changed the
way I care for the lawn. I now cut high and only apply turf builder in
the
spring and fall. I used to bag the clipping, now I remove the bag and let
the mower mulch the clipping. Since I don't water or fertilize the rear
lawn, I also don't have to mow it very often.

Isn't that the way terrorists do their lawn?

cindy