Americans don't really have gardens. They call them yards for a reason, their purpose is to be a big grassy expanse. Classic American landscaping is pretty natural too. I live in the UK and people go all out with their back gardens (front gardens, not so much if I'm being brutally honest) but they're small and usually get loads of rainfall so very easy to keep flowers alive and lush. Different story in many parts of the US where keeping an English garden alive would be extremely hard work.
It's more about the grass being free of weeds/bald spots than it is decorative plants. That said there are plenty of hustorical places and houses in neighborhoods in the US with really nice gardens. Some regions it's advisable to not have a bunch of bushes and flowers close to your house bc of attracting bugs/spiders (think black widows and venomous snakes) but others it doesn't add much risk. Others it depends on the time of year you go (example theres a plantation in sc that has beautiful gardens with tons of flower blooms but if you dont go at the right time of year its just all green bushes and trees). That said if you search online youre likely to find a plethora of nice gardens in the US to visit
The first sentence is why I specifically said this isn't about poorly maintained lawns.
I'm sure there are areas, I was walking in a neighborhood just this morning with some very nice gardens, however for every garden there were three just grass lawns
Some people don't have the time to sit and weed out everything and upkeep it, some people don't like flowers. My SO hates flowers near the house bc it attracts bees, it's all personal preference ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Back in the pre-internet days it was normal for kids to spend all day outside with their friends and minimal parental supervision. Yards were basically a miniature park they could play in for long periods while the parents did chores or whatever.
So houses are built without playgrounds near them?
In my city, there's a requirement that there should be a playground within 0,5km of every residential building and at least a small park within 1km of it. All houses built after ~1950-1960 have playgrounds in their gardens.
My great-grandfather had a pear tree and a number of flowers that he personally attended to (It's been too long I don't remember what all he had) but you're right. His garden was only a small portion of his lawn.
I think part of it might have to do with a lot of European lawns/garden have existed in an estate for possibly longer than America has existed. With how America is seen as a place for backbreaking labor it would honestly make sense why not many people would have or want to spend the time doing extensive plant care when all you wanna do when you get home from the factory or mines is sleep. That's my opinion at least.
This is actually a great observation. Have no idea if popular or unpopular, but when I picture beautiful gardens I think of smaller and cozier places than the sprawling American yards that are commonly admired for their yards. A cottage in the English countryside, or a balcony garden in Italy have so much more appeal.
Americans don't really have gardens. They call them yards for a reason, their purpose is to be a big grassy expanse. Classic American landscaping is pretty natural too. I live in the UK and people go all out with their back gardens (front gardens, not so much if I'm being brutally honest) but they're small and usually get loads of rainfall so very easy to keep flowers alive and lush. Different story in many parts of the US where keeping an English garden alive would be extremely hard work.
The thing is the standard grass used for "nice" lawns is Kentucky Blue which is incredibly inefficient for most climates
It's more about the grass being free of weeds/bald spots than it is decorative plants. That said there are plenty of hustorical places and houses in neighborhoods in the US with really nice gardens. Some regions it's advisable to not have a bunch of bushes and flowers close to your house bc of attracting bugs/spiders (think black widows and venomous snakes) but others it doesn't add much risk. Others it depends on the time of year you go (example theres a plantation in sc that has beautiful gardens with tons of flower blooms but if you dont go at the right time of year its just all green bushes and trees). That said if you search online youre likely to find a plethora of nice gardens in the US to visit
The first sentence is why I specifically said this isn't about poorly maintained lawns.
I'm sure there are areas, I was walking in a neighborhood just this morning with some very nice gardens, however for every garden there were three just grass lawns
Some people don't have the time to sit and weed out everything and upkeep it, some people don't like flowers. My SO hates flowers near the house bc it attracts bees, it's all personal preference ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In the US, lawns often are a spot for your children to play in. Wide open spaces are preferable for that purpose.
Why can't you just go to a park or playground with your children?
Back in the pre-internet days it was normal for kids to spend all day outside with their friends and minimal parental supervision. Yards were basically a miniature park they could play in for long periods while the parents did chores or whatever.
Easier to walk out your door than pack up the car and take the kids to a park or playground
So houses are built without playgrounds near them?
In my city, there's a requirement that there should be a playground within 0,5km of every residential building and at least a small park within 1km of it. All houses built after ~1950-1960 have playgrounds in their gardens.
Believe it or not, yes
Who needs a playground when there's a yard right out the door?
In SF/Oakland/Berkeley many people let their lawns go 'wild' and it actually looks pretty cool.
lawns are just humans trying to carpet nature. All lawns are genocide.
I mean I would agree to many or most, but not all
unless it sport 5+ species, it's genocide
You keep using that word. I don't think that word means what you think it means
Is it that much of a stretch to define genocide as "the targeted killing of a group of organisms:?
Genocide is the intentional destruction of a people usually defined as an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group. So yes, it's a huge stretch
say you're a human supremacist without saying you're a human supremacist
My great-grandfather had a pear tree and a number of flowers that he personally attended to (It's been too long I don't remember what all he had) but you're right. His garden was only a small portion of his lawn.
I think part of it might have to do with a lot of European lawns/garden have existed in an estate for possibly longer than America has existed. With how America is seen as a place for backbreaking labor it would honestly make sense why not many people would have or want to spend the time doing extensive plant care when all you wanna do when you get home from the factory or mines is sleep. That's my opinion at least.
This is actually a great observation. Have no idea if popular or unpopular, but when I picture beautiful gardens I think of smaller and cozier places than the sprawling American yards that are commonly admired for their yards. A cottage in the English countryside, or a balcony garden in Italy have so much more appeal.
Who cares? It is plants, they turn CO2 to O2, that's what matters.