Lawn and disorder

Lawn mower manufacturer John Deere has launched the National Gardens Park campaign which highlights the environmental benefits of lawns to communities across the UK in a bid to help preserve the grass for future generations.

It is estimated that the combined area of our domestic lawns is larger than most of our national parks. They provide a massive range of environmental and social benefits but they are under threat from the paving slab and the spade as areas for car parking, caravanning, home extensions and landscaping are created.

"Lawns are an icon of our gardens and we neglect them at our peril," says John Deere's David Hart. "We have between 17 and 20 million domestic lawns across the UK, the majority of which are in urban and inner city locations.

"We want to highlight the importance of lawns to gardeners in Yorkshire and in other regions across the UK. Many people are not aware that lawns help to prevent flash flooding, cool temperatures, absorb carbon dioxide which they convert into oxygen and provide a natural environment for birds, animals and insects."

Lawn lovers can log on and show their support by registering at www.johndeere.co.uk/ nationalgardenspark to receive campaign updates and seasonal newsletters. One of the earliest references to the garden lawn is in a 13th century ledger referring to buying turf for the London-based garden of a relation to the Earl of Gloucester.

The average lawn of 100m2 will produce enough oxygen each day for 1.722 adults by absorbing carbon dioxide which they convert into oxygen.

Lawns also help to control pollution by absorbing sulphur dioxide and they help to cool the atmosphere.

They also help to prevent flooding by absorbing rainfall that, if it fell on paving, would run off and potentially overload drains.

They help to prevent certain allergic reactions by trapping pollens and other triggers into the lawn-surface.

YP MAG 22/5/10