permaculture

["Marsha Hanzi" <hanzibra@svn.com.br>]

Hello Claude!

I have found that a good solution to the  "tidiness problem" is to  group
the trees with flowers and permanent decorative plants ( comfrey should be
good for you here?) , put a clean wall or other clean marking around them so
that it looks "tidy" and thus reduce significantly the size of the lawn you
mow.  We have a number of ground covers here in the tropics which look like
lawns but never need mowing, and, being of  succulent plants, are not so far
"down" in ecosystem progression, as grass is, thus improving the general
health of the site. A good book for you to check out is "Making a Forest
Garden" distributed by Permaculture Publications in Britain. I believe they
give a list of such ground cover-- the book is not with me here, but I think
they may give you a lot of good advice for your climate there  in Vermont.

 Also think of sticking in a  pond or two- my neighbor made a 1.5 by 1 meter
pond ( no kidding!) which he waters from a hanging hose from time to time to
ensure oxigenation-- looks very pretty.  In Switzerland I have also seen
such tiny ponds ( they call them "biotopes") which look really pretty, can
produce  aquatic foods, and  also diminish the size of the lawn you have to
mow.

A good strategy its to "eat into your lawn" from the edges, make them nice
and curvy with clean walls ( or border plants), leaving a pretty lawn area
in the middle, easy to mow and to  care for, great for playing or taking the
sun ( you DO have sun there in Vermont, don't you?) The neighbors won't
mind, seeing a pretty blob of lawn in the middle of your garden will satisfy
their esthetic sense..

Good Luck!
Marsha in Brazil...


----- Original Message -----
From: Claude Genest <genest@together.net>
To: permaculture <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 9:34 PM
Subject: Lawn Obsession.....


> Hello group....
>
> I'm slowly succumbing to the great American obsession with lawns that very
> much pervades my new home town.
>
> Someone, STOP ME !!
>
> I bought 3.5 acres of perfect Vemont soil with nary a tree on it.
>
> This is my second year here and I've already planted over 70 trees so I'm
on
> my way but.....
>
> In the meantime I've added to an already onerous mowing chore. ( have to
mow
> AROUND all those trees now).
>
> At one point last summer I let my lawn get a little long and one of my
well
> intentioned neighbors came over to offer to mow it for me ( no kidding).
>
> Now I know that this dilemma may be as simple as "Just stop mowing"
BUT....
>
> here is my specific question:
>
> Is just letting a lawn go (back to wildness)  a good ( or the best) Pc
idea
> ??
>
> I'm being told that I'll be creating  a mosquitio paradise. IS that so?
>
> Just what does happen when you let a lawn grow wild?
>
> (e.g. "they run you out of town" or "you are shunned by the community at
> large" :-)
>
> Thanks in advance and
>
> Best Regards to all,
>
>
> Claude in Vermont
>
>
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