After applying every substance known to mankind to make my lawn grow, I finally decided it was time to stop turning my lawn into a chemical soup. It couldn’t be healthy for me, the kids or pets that played on the lawn or the Planet. Mowing the lawn is a battle with the mower (and noisy) – not mention remembering to pick up gas in town and then smell fumes in the car all the way home. I still wanted a short grass to keep rodents, snakes and bugs away from the house. I still wanted a “green space” since nothing says “peace and comfort” like an inviting lawn. I wanted it all. That was 20 years ago and this is now. Other people are finally realizing what Jerry Baker had known for years. Today we’re more concerned about pollution, emissions and the time a high maintenance lawn demands from us but “what I want in a lawn” remains the same. There are several environmentally healthy ways to correct such bad habits and here’s some of the best available. The following first 3 are grasses that have a soft meadow appearance when left un-mowed. Mowing them is also an option but they also require less mowing than many other grasses. These are my favorite since they need little added chemicals and watering too. Though all these lawns still do need regular maintenance like weed control and a good fall and spring clean up, the amount of chemicals, watering and mowing are minimal. From NoMowGrass.com: Naturally Short Bent-grass. No Mow Grass blades grow 3” – 6” but grow sideways. Mowing is only recommended occasionally but not during the hot season. No Mow Grass has short northern hardy and native southern hardy grasses available. It takes harsh winters but may need snow cover to prevent freeze drying. Drought tolerant when left un-mowed. Does well with moderate traffic. New even shorter grasses are being released in 2008. Eco-Lawn (fescue grass) from WildFlowerFarm.com also has wild flowers which when planted into the lawn-scape give the area a soft inviting meadow feeling. Hear the birds? See the butterflies? Zoysia is as soft and cool as No Mow Grass when left un-mowed. Takes harsh winters with some resilience but prefers mild climates. Drought tolerant when left un-mowed. Zoysia is typically sold via plugs that fill in a lawn quickly. A Good “bare-feet” grass from: ZoysiaFarms.com And what’s great about all these new low maintenance grasses – they’ll still be my lawn of choice 20 years from now. For more information, go to SafeLawns.org