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September 07, 2006
Today I mowed the tiny strip of lawn that still exists on the parkway. It took me about 5 minutes. Previous to this, I had not started the lawnmower since July 2nd. I once again cut it as low as the mower would go, so I will not be cutting anymore this year.
The past two months have been an interesting experiment. Having been crippled by a brutal beheading from my mower and no supplemental watering, the lawn grasses barely grew at all. Nature stepped in to take care of the problem though. The parkway was gradually covered with several native annuals such as spotted spurge (Chamaesyce maculata), Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis), and pilewort (Erechtites hieracifolia). While these are not the most prized of native plants, they are doing their job. They moved in and grew in a hostile environment. I have learned to appreciate a wide variety of plants, even those without showy flowers. These pioneer plants were doing an admirable job of reclaiming land that was serving no purpose other than requiring me to mow it.
Next summer I may accelerate the transition to native plants, but for now I will watch and learn how it is done naturally.
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