Lawn

**Historical Evolution of Lawns:**
– Etymology:
– Lawn is a cognate of Welsh ‘llan’.
– Derived from the Common Brittonic word ‘landa’ (Old French: ‘lande’).
– Originally meant heath, barren land, or clearing.
– Origins:
– Lawns may have originated as grassed enclosures within early medieval settlements.
– Used for communal grazing of livestock, distinct from fields reserved for agriculture.
– Early lawns allowed viewing those approaching enclosed areas.
– Development in Europe:
– Lawns became popular with the aristocracy in northern Europe from the Middle Ages onward.
– The damp climate of maritime Western Europe facilitated lawn growth.
– The English Lawn:
– In the 17th and 18th century, the garden and lawn became social areas.
– The closely cut English lawn symbolized status.
– Landscape gardening for the aristocracy entered a golden age with figures like William Kent and Lancelot Capability Brown.
– Brown’s style included undulating lawns, meadows, clumps of trees, and serpentine lakes.
– In North America:
– Wealthy families in America mimicked English landscaping styles.
– British settlers imported an affinity for English lawn styles.
– The Shaker community began industrial grass seed production in North America in 1780.
– New England towns began emphasizing grass spaces in the 19th century.

**Environmental Impact and Criticism:**
– Negative Environmental Impact:
– Some jurisdictions encourage alternatives to lawns to reduce water use.
– Suburban lawns are considered biological deserts.
– Lawn maintenance practices cause biodiversity loss in surrounding areas.
– Awareness and Criticism:
– Awareness of the negative environmental impact of lawns is growing.
– Lawns have become culturally ingrained but are facing criticism for their environmental effects.

**Middle Class Adoption and Lawn Mower Innovations:**
– Middle Class Pursuit:
– Before the 1830s, maintaining lawns was labor-intensive and limited to the wealthy.
– Edwin Beard Budding’s invention of the lawn mower revolutionized lawn care.
– Budding’s partnership with John Ferrabee led to the mass production of lawn mowers.
– Thomas Green’s Silens Messor design in the 1850s improved on previous models.
– James Sumner patented the first steam-powered lawn mower in 1893.
– Innovations in Lawn Mower Design:
– The Bessemer process in the 1840s allowed for lighter alloy steel in mower construction.
– Advances like the drive chain improved the maneuverability and efficiency of lawn mowers.
– Ransomes Automaton, introduced in 1900, was a significant development in mower technology.
– Ransomes produced the first gasoline-powered mower in 1902.
– JP Engineering invented the first riding mowers after World War I.

**Popularity and Expansion of Lawns:**
– Growth and Demand:
– The 1860s saw a surge in lawn mower production and consumer demand.
– Lawn mowers were crucial in creating modern sports fields and courts.
– Urban Development:
– The garden city movement and garden suburbs integrated manicured lawns into suburban life.
– Suburbanization in the interwar period led to a significant increase in lawn cultivation.
– England became the most heavily suburbanized country in the world by the 1930s.

**Evolution of Lawns in America:**
– American Landscape:
– Lawns in America began to proliferate from the 1870s onwards.
– European plant introductions influenced the design of American lawns.
– Lawns in America incorporated flower beds, sculptures, and water features.
– Wealthy individuals started moving away from traditional lawn designs.
– The evolution of American lawns reflected changing tastes and landscaping trends.

Lawn (Wikipedia)

For other uses, see Lawn (disambiguation).

"Lawns" redirects here. For other uses, see Lawns (disambiguation).

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A lawn (/lɔːn/) is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawn mower (or sometimes grazing animals) and used for aesthetic and recreational purposes—it is also commonly referred to as part of a garden. Lawns are usually composed only of grass species, subject to weed and pest control, maintained in a green color (e.g., by watering), and are regularly mowed to ensure an acceptable length. Lawns are used around houses, apartments, commercial buildings and offices. Many city parks also have large lawn areas. In recreational contexts, the specialised names turf, pitch, field or green may be used, depending on the sport and the continent.

The term "lawn", referring to a managed grass space, dates to at least the 16th century. With suburban expansion, the lawn has become culturally ingrained in some areas of the world as part of the desired household aesthetic. However, awareness of the negative environmental impact of this ideal is growing. In some jurisdictions where there are water shortages, local government authorities are encouraging alternatives to lawns to reduce water use. Researchers in the United States have noted that suburban lawns are "biological deserts" that are contributing to a "continental-scale ecological homogenization." Lawn maintenance practices also cause biodiversity loss in surrounding areas.