Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[esther-l AT mailsnare.net]

The Town of Cary has some infomation available about drought-tolerant plants 
and alternatives to lawn at 
http://www.townofcary.org/depts/pwdept/water/waterconservation/landscaping.htm
Your local extension service also has information. You can get entertaining 
answers when you ask about landscaping that is not tasty to deer and rabbits.

My yard does have a lot of tree, and I don't look forward to the raking every 
fall, but it is very good exercise. We don't have to bag, as the town has a 
schedule for vacuuming leaves from the curb.

Apparently you can make a homemade rabbit discouager to put on plants that 
uses tobacco juice as the primary ingredient. I'm not certain if the fearless 
rabbits who infest our suburb have the proper distaste for tobacco, though!
Esther


>-----Original Message-----
>From: Thomas Beckett [mailto:thomas AT tbeckett.com]
>Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 04:20 PM
>To: 'Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/'
>Subject: [internetworkers] lawn-free lawn care?
>
>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>Hash: SHA1
>
>Magnus wrote:
>> With rising fuel costs and the apparent likelihood that we've already 
>> reached a peak oil state, I'm looking at ways I can cut back on my use
>> of combustion engines.  I've already started telecommuting a couple of
>> days a week for the last few months.  Now I'm looking at my lawn mower.
>
>One option that has not yet been discussed in this thread it so minimize
>your lawn space.  Instead of hundreds of square meters of grass that
>needs energy and regular fertilization to be trimmed and green, use
>larger plantings of shrubs and ornamentals that don't need as much
>weekly care or nutrition.  Make big beds of shrubs, perennials and cover
>plants.  Grow vegetables and tree fruits.  Plant varieties of grass that
>don't need regular mowing.
>
>