But at least we can experiment with our lawns. Residents of Ontario aren't so lucky. In Canada and the USA (but not in the UK) local bylaws regulate private gardens and the authorities will jump on anything too unorthodox.
Wolf Ruck started rewilding his Mississauga garden with native plants three years ago, but didn't reckon on complaints from the neighbours and his lawn being forcibly mown - and being landed with the city's legal bills. Apparently there's a bylaw that forbids nuisance weeds and tall grasses, and his garden was deemed to have broken the bylaw.
"My property is not abandoned. It's not a blight on the community. It simply seems to offend some neighbours who don't like the look of it" he says. He is appealing against the city's judgment.
Here in the UK we can do more or less what we like with our gardens. We can allow lawns and hedges to grow to crazy lengths, we can fill the garden with rubbish, we can have a bright orange garden shed, and nobody will object, unless some rampant plant is invading our neighbour's property.
If you're on a street with a bus route and you have a tree that's overhanging the street and hitting the buses, you'll be asked to lop off the offending branches. But that's about it.
Luckily we have a tall fence around our garden, so most of the neighbours have no idea what we're up to anyway. We could have a garden full of wild animals and nobody would know.
Keep pushing back against this idiocy, Mr Ruck.
Pic: Not Mr Ruck's garden. I couldn't find a pinchable photo of him or his garden. But there's a photo of him on the link.
The only times I’ve heard about a city intervening here is if it’s an abandoned property, but neighbors will complain about people not cutting their grass. We have a terrible tick problem here due to the deer and ticks are attracted to tall grass, so it can be a safety issue.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Good to know your cities are fairly laid back. Luckily we don't have a tick or Lyme Disease problem here, just squirrels raiding bird feeders!
DeleteMy son and DIL are working on a natural garden in their yard. The city of Minneapolis is encouraging this. The idea of the perfect lawn should go away.
ReplyDeleteSandra: That's interesting. Agreed, who needs a "perfect" lawn? It just means lots of tedious mowing.
DeleteMy SIL also lives in Minneapolis and she has several garden areas including fairly tall plants in the area between the sidewalk and the curb. Her area of grass is about 10'x10' with everywhere else planted with one thing or another.
DeleteLinda
Linda: It seems Minneapolis has a fairly enlightened policy about rewilding. Good for them.
DeleteI have to give my city a nod, Saint Paul, across the Mississippi River from Minneapolis. The Twin Cities are progressive. I miss living there.
DeleteSandra: We need all the progressive cities we can get these days!
DeleteI had a huge wild garden in my last two properties. If you don't introduce those foreign grasses (Kentucky et al) you never have to mow it. I had meadow flowers etc. Most have those non-native grasses for that golf course carpet. Outrageous the toll on the planet with mowers and leafblowers belching all that toxicity. For what? Capability Brown has a LOT to answer for.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
www: I've no idea what type of grass we have in our garden, but it certainly grows pretty fast. Our mower is actually electric and we don't have a leaf-blower. I hate the horrible noise they make.
DeleteWe're reforesting...sounds as if we are lucky not to live in Ontario!
ReplyDeleteFly: Reforesting? Does that mean you're planting lots of trees?
DeleteYes...so far three hectares. Planting trees to feed birds and animals...and to keep the water table up.
DeleteFly: That's brilliant!
DeleteI like rewilding and wish everyone great success.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the city will see sense and stop harassing him.
DeleteYeah, we have a tick problem in England, and especially is the South West. Lyme disease is on the up. BUT, the grass grows before your eyes so you'd be insane to try to keep up with it via mowing!
ReplyDeleteAll the gardens I've ever had have been pretty wild - and I through native wildflower seeds into the hedge banks.
Sx
Ms Scarlet: Ah, I think that's what we need to do - buy wildflower seeds and scatter them.
Delete*throw, not through!
ReplyDeleteSx
If you live in an HOA here in the US, they can have rules about everything.
ReplyDeleteMary: Yes, I was just reading about Home Owners Associations. In one apartment block we lived in in London, there was a residents committee which had a similar function to an HOA.
DeleteYou need to either plant indigenous plants or allow the dandelions etc to pave the way.
ReplyDeleteAs the weeds flourish, the insects will come. And then the birds. And birds bring seeds. And voila! Rewilding has happened
Kylie: That sounds too good to be true - rewilding the easy way! But doesn't the grass just get longer and longer?
DeleteWe began to let part of property grow wild. Originally it was part of a corn field. The first year we planted grass clover. And just like you, we got the usual grass, dandelions, daisies and clover. Well we let it go & now 10+ years later we have wild flowers & even trees! Don't give up as it is stunning what nature can do if given time.
ReplyDeletePaula: Goodness, you had to wait 10 years for a successful rewilding! Looks like we'll just have to be patient and not give up.
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