Why We Have Lawns and Lawn care in Decatur, Alabama
There is nothing more American than loving our lawns. Whether we spend hours in the garden, take painstaking care of the grass, or even consistently mess it up playing outside, lawns are a part of our lives. It is the first thing most of us consider when looking for real estate and is something that most people spend a lot of time and money caring for. But where did the notion of a lawn or a yard come from? How far back does it go? What changed the lawn care process?
Land Ownership and Royalty
The idea of land ownership is not a new concept among humankind. After all, without farming, it would be hard for the human population to sustain itself with food. When hunter-gathering societies settled down in a territory, the assigned ruler by the collective would take or be given the highest authority. Usually, the tribe gave the ruler first access to things like food, possessions, and yes, land. Especially a divine deity gave him permission to rule. This tradition carried onward through the rise and fall of hierarchical civilizations.
However, one person can’t manage the entire territory. Especially when you are a ruler of an empire. So, rulers hired the nobility of an area to work on the day to day affairs. It was not uncommon for a ruler to award land to those managing the territories.
According tocontext.org“In the god-king societies, the privileges of the nobility were often easily withdrawn at the whim of the sovereign, and the importance of politics and raw power as the basis of ownership was rarely forgotten. To guard their power, the nobility frequently pushed for greater legal/customary recognition of their land rights.” So the definition of territory and land ownership expanded further alongside the definition of leadership and government. We mostly see this in shades with the Greek and Roman Empire, in which land ownership was equal to participation in their democratic or city-state government.
This idea reached its full height by the feudal system in Europe. The higher in the hierarchy you were, the more land you had authority over. And it is in this feudal system where the concept of a lawn is introduced.
The First Lawns and Lawn Care Methods
The earliest version of the Middle English term “launde”, was defined as ” an opening in the woods, but later designated artificial stretches of land that resembled a glade.” The English Lords and Royalty, while enjoying the perks of territory, were also responsible for the safety and prosperity of their community in the mid-1100s. So, in order to have an upper hand in protecting what they owned, they would clear the forests near their keep so that their military could adequately protect his property. The clear view afforded plenty of unobstructed views for the guards to spot potential enemies.
When the English and French monarchies gained more territory, they spent that increased wealth on showing off. This meant decorating the interior and exterior of their personal territory with rare and beautiful objects . One of the most expensive items at the time was a lawn.
The common folk in the feudal system needed every inch of land. To survive they had to grow their own food and medicine. They did not have the resources to waste any space with something that was purely decorative on their land. They used cattle to simultaneously graze fertilize their land. Anything growing had a purpose.
The aristocrats with titles, however, not only imported short grasses with no utilitarian use, but they also were able to hire people exclusively for lawn care. The lawn keepers used scythes and weeded the grass by hand to keep it aesthetically manageable. The bigger and well kept the lawn, the more successful they appeared.
Lawn Ownership and the Rise of the Middle Class
The practice of lawns equating to social status was kept up long after the end of the feudal system. It even carried over to the industrial era. Both in England and America, a well-manicured lawn was still the symbol of the upper class. However, it was less about aristocracy and more about wealth. Both the old and nouveau rich still had large lawns. They even went so far as to make lawns that they could play games on, like golf, croquet, and outdoor bowling. With a lawn care staff, of course. The attitude of lawns continuing as a status symbol is further evidenced in Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby “We both looked at the grass‚Äîthere was a sharp line where my ragged lawn ended and the darker, well-kept expanse of his began.”
However, there was an increase in wealth among the common folk. The industrial period brought forth a rising middle class. Soon, the business tycoons, the inventors, the middlemen who did well in life could now afford to get away from the hustle and bustle of cities. The creation of neighborhoods and personal property ownership, along with the invention of the lawnmower, made lawns more accessible to the middle class than ever before. Then, the US government got more involved with the relegation of public property. They created and oversee public parks today barring economic disaster. This helped everyone get the chance to enjoy the outdoors.
Then, with the vigor of nationalistic pride that swept America up post WW2, a house with a lawn became the status symbol of the “American Dream.” Often illustrated with a smiling white man, woman and two children (a boy and girl) there is a suburban house with an American flag, a lawn, and a white picket fence.
The Trend Continues
And the idea of a lawn as a status symbol still continues as an important sentiment today. “The state of a homeowner‚Äôs lawn is important in relation to their status within the community and to the status of the community at large. Lawns connect neighbors and neighborhoods; they‚Äôre viewed as an indicator of socio-economic character, which translates into property- and resale values.” In fact, having your grass too long is ground for public shaming. In fact, a messy lawn is even grounds for getting kicked out of a neighborhood. So, if you want to keep up appearances, and make your community happy, invest or learn about proper lawn care. Especially in Decatur, Alabama.