# Lawns -when / where did they become common?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 13, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969 "2010-04-13T18:19:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/1 "2010-04-13T18:19:01Z")
I thought about submitting this to Cecil. But, I bet the GQ Dopers know the answer.
The modern suburban lawn couldn’t exist without lawn mowers.
On the farm, we used a sling to cut clumps of weeds. It’s a miserable tool to use and it’s impossible to get an even cut over a large area. We only used slings in ditches and other areas that mowers couldn’t reach. This was before the weed eater was invented. 🙂
So, when did the first real lawns emerge? How did they cut it? I don’t think the manual reel mowers existed before the 1930’s.
> **[How to choose a reel mower](http://www.reelmowers.org/how-to-choose-a-reel-mower/)**
>
> First, make sure you have looked over disadvantages of manual reel mowers. Reel mowers are simple to use, but there are some situations, like rocky yards, where the mower will not work very well. S…
On a related note. Who developed the grasses we see in lawns? I don’t think St Augustine, Zoysia, and Centipede grow in the wild.
---
### Author:  [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/2 "2010-04-13T18:24:27Z")
The first lawn-mowers were sheep.
---
### Author:  [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/3 "2010-04-13T18:31:36Z")
“History of the Lawn” from wiki claims from the middle ages onward. And yeah, they were either grazed areas, or maintained in a very labour intensive fashion by the wealthy:
> **[Lawn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_lawn)**
>
> A lawn (/lɔːn/) is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawn mower (or sometimes grazing animals) and used for aesthetic and recreational purposes—it is also commonly referred to as part of a garden. Lawns are usually composed only of grass species, subject to weed and pest control, maintained in a green color (e.g., by watering), and are regularly mowed to ensure an acceptable length. Lawns are
> [@](#):
>
> Before the invention of mowing machines in 1830, lawns were managed very differently. Lawns belonging to wealthy people were sometimes maintained by the labour-intensive methods of scything and shearing—in most cases, however, they were pasture land which was maintained through grazing by sheep or other livestock. Areas of grass grazed regularly by rabbits, horses or sheep over a long period often form a very low, tight sward similar to a modern lawn. This was the original meaning of the word “lawn”, and the term can still be found in place-names. Some forest areas where extensive grazing is practiced still have these semi-natural lawns. For example, in the New Forest, England, such grazed areas are common and are known as lawns, for example Balmer Lawn.
You will also note that you are 100 years off for the invention of the mowing machine, though probably not its popularization.
---
### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/4 "2010-04-13T18:33:03Z")
a person skilled with a sharp scythe can cut almost the same speed as a reel mower.
---
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/5 "2010-04-13T19:04:52Z")
My back hurts even thinking about using a scythe. As a teenager I dreaded cleaning out the ditches with a sling. It’s tough work.
I guess we didn’t have enough cattle to keep our pasture short. We bush hogged it several times each summer. Maybe sheep would have done better than cattle. 😉
Whoever invented modern grasses (St Augustine, Zoysia, and Centipede) should be shot. That type of grass is easily choked out by weeds. I gave up the battle and hired Chem-Lawn.
---
### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/6 "2010-04-13T20:09:20Z")
on a lawn the scythe can glide on the ground, it sort of like doing trunk twists while walking.
---
### Author:  [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/7 "2010-04-13T20:50:27Z")
BTW, I recall reading an article somewhere which speculated that we have lawns because we evolved on the African savannahs, and are biologically wired to feel comfortable with such a landscape. Hence, we plant lawns and dot them with a few trees to turn our surroundings into artificial savannahs. Make what you will of it.
---
### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/8 "2010-04-14T10:26:44Z")
> [@yabob](#):
>
> BTW, I recall reading an article somewhere which speculated that we have lawns because we evolved on the African savannahs, and are biologically wired to feel comfortable with such a landscape. Hence, we plant lawns and dot them with a few trees to turn our surroundings into artificial savannahs. Make what you will of it.
Well, we have good distance vision, what with our eyes being so far off the ground, and [we’re superb](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/health/27well.html?_r=1) [endurance runners](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041123163757.htm), so it makes sense we’d enjoy being able to see things coming a long way off and have plenty of room to move.
Combine that with the fact humans have been nomadic for most of our existence, and you have something that leads you to the inevitable conclusion: Honey, tramps like us, baby we were born to run.
---
### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/9 "2010-04-14T14:40:35Z")
> [@yabob](#):
>
> BTW, I recall reading an article somewhere which speculated that we have lawns because we evolved on the African savannahs, and are biologically wired to feel comfortable with such a landscape. Hence, we plant lawns and dot them with a few trees to turn our surroundings into artificial savannahs. Make what you will of it.
Except that modern theories say that we evolved in areas with higher amounts of forests. The savannah theory is so 20th century.
Of course, that’s the beauty of using weasel words like humans evolved. What are we talking about? The first upright apes? Genus Homo? Our own species?
In any case, all these Just-So Stories that take geographically-local, historically timebound aspects of cultural adaptation and try to explain them by some vague genetic evocation are sheer nonsense.
---
### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/10 "2010-04-14T15:09:20Z")
> [@yabob](#):
>
> BTW, I recall reading an article somewhere which speculated that we have lawns because we evolved on the African savannahs, and are biologically wired to feel comfortable with such a landscape. Hence, we plant lawns and dot them with a few trees to turn our surroundings into artificial savannahs. Make what you will of it.
And yet, in the actual savannah, humans relentlessly destroy any vegetation near their homes so that snakes have no place to hide.
---
### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/11 "2010-04-14T15:29:22Z")
> [@even\_sven](#):
>
> And yet, in the actual savannah, humans relentlessly destroy any vegetation near their homes so that snakes have no place to hide.
Which goes back to something I read (sorry, no cite) that said that lawns came about because people cut back the growth around their huts so vermin would have less opportunity to hide there.
---
### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/12 "2010-04-14T15:47:22Z")
> [@johnpost](#):
>
> the scythe
Some folks call it a sling blade. I call it a Kaiser blade.
What you doin’ with that lawnmower blade, Karl?
I aim to kill you with it.
---
### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/13 "2010-04-14T16:28:01Z")
> [@johnpost](#):
>
> the scythe
> [@Wilbo523](#):
>
> Some folks call it a sling blade. I call it a Kaiser blade.
a sling blade or Kasier blade might be what i would call a brush hook, there might be some differentiation depending on handle length.
a scythe would be more like what the Grim Reaper is often shown with.
on level ground cutting lawn grass the scythe, with a blade for mowing, glides on the ground.
---
### Author:  [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawns-when-where-did-they-become-common/535969/14 "2010-04-17T00:08:40Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#):
>
> Some folks call it a sling blade. I call it a Kaiser blade.
>
> What you doin’ with that lawnmower blade, Karl?
>
> I aim to kill you with it.
Then I’m gonna have me some biscuits with mustard.
Or maybe some french fried potaters. MmmmHmmm!