I’m trying to convince my wife to join the ‘anti-lawn’ movement – I’ve made the best discoveries by letting it grow wild
A LAWNOWNER has made a case for the anti-lawn movement.
He tried explaining to his wife that he’d seen the best results by letting it grow wild in a hands-free environment.
Redditor CondorOneFiveSeven shared the lawn tip in a viral post.
He noted that while his lawn and gardening maintenance has never been amazing, he’d seen it make progress after regular maintenance.
“The lawns have never been ‘great’ since we moved it, lots of dandelions, violets, ground ivy and clover,” he said.
“But I keep it mowed; it’s nice and green without any bare patches, and that’s all I really care about.”
His wife, however, has concerns about “the weeds taking over.”
“She’s mentioned this before, but lately, it’s been with increasing frequency,” he said.
“I feel like a lot of it has to do with our upbringings. I grew up with a huge yard, and we never worried about weeds and such.
“My dad would keep it mowed, and that’s about it. Her parents’ much smaller yard is a pristine carpet of grass. They have it treated regularly and just recently had the entire thing stripped down to the soil and re-seeded.”
His wife wants to give their lawn the same treatment, but the Redditor worries about the money it’ll cost.
Letting the lawn grow wild, he said, also comes with benefits that money can’t put a price on.
“Plus, we have a young child, and I feel like a huge part of being a kid is exploring the yard, finding cool plants and bugs, picking flowers, and not worrying about chemicals or keeping the lawn pristine,” he said.
“I enjoy the random, natural landscape. We found a wild strawberry plant last year, and it was a super fun discovery!
“We get crane flies, bumblebees, and a million fireflies during the summer – it’s AMAZING to watch them at night.”
His wife, unfortunately, doesn’t share the same point of view.
What is the ‘anti-lawn’ movement?
The anti-lawn movement has been around for decades, according to Homes & Gardens, but it’s only recently gained traction thanks to social media.
“The anti-lawn movement centers itself on allowing the wilderness to take over once again, encouraging wildlife into yards and boosting the local ecosystem,” explained H&G writer Chiana Dickson.
“A step further than simple wildlife garden ideas, the anti-lawn movement moves away from traditional gardening and towards free growth with occasional trim and tidy to ensure the yard does not become too wild and untameable.”
The movement’s popularity is mostly due to America’s increasing water concerns.
“‘As the population of the western USA grows, the challenge of water management will only get worse,” said Robb Baumann, the co-founder of True Leaf Market.
“The bottom line is that large, green lawns consume a significant amount of the scarce water available.
“Big, open grass lawns are simply not the most sustainable or affordable choice anymore.’”
“Unfortunately, my wife does not share my enthusiasm. She is not interested in bugs or wildflowers and would prefer to keep up with the Joneses,” he said.
“She’s talked about ‘what the neighbors think’ and property value. I care little about either. Again, if it’s well maintained, that’s all that I feel should really matter.”
While the grass is always greener on the other side, what matters most at the end of the day is their relationship.
“Now I know communication is key here. I love and respect my wife, and I feel like we do communicate well,” he said.
“So far, she’s begrudgingly accepted my opinion of it being not only unnecessary but also costly and hazardous.
“But I don’t want her to just be continually disappointed; I’d like her to grow to appreciate the natural state of our lawn and see it the way I do.
“Maybe that’s egocentric of me, but I just want her to be happy without it being at the cost of our finances and health.”
People advised him to give her a bit of time to come around.
“If you get fireflies in your area, wait until June so she can see them and be mesmerized,” said one commenter.
“Boggles my mind that my neighbors all have pristine lawns while decrying the loss of fireflies in our area.
“If not, maybe try to get to the root of her issue with it; what is her fear? Make a list of pros and cons, maybe compromise by planting natives and making your lawn a garden.”