Page 96 - At Home Prince Edward County

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W WHERE DID LAWNS BEGIN?

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Well-groomed lawns have their roots, pun
intended, in English estates of the 16th
century when wealthy landowners
planted turf grass for their ca2le to graze
on to be admired from the house. Lawn
sports became popular with aristocra1c
youths, and ladies could stroll on neatly
trimmed lawns with no peril to their
ground-sweeping dresses.
The mathema1cally 1dy gardens of
Versailles and the like required me1culous
hand-scything by dozens of servants to
keep lawn turf at the perfect length. Only
those who could afford the labour could
afford the lawn.
With the inven1on of mechanical
mowing, armies of groundskeepers were
no longer required and the middle classes
could indulge themselves, albeit more
modestly, with lawns to lavish a2en1on
on. And well-groomed lawns became a
source of pride for all who desired them.
96 @HOME CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION & GARDENING DIRECTORY