Residential lawn alternatives: a study of their distribution, form and structure

This study sought to understand the prevalence and characteristics of residential lawn alternatives in a medium-sized southern Ontario city. In the Fall of 1995, all front yards in the city of Guelph, Ontario (n=19 901), were surveyed to determine the number, distribution and qualities of lawn alternatives. Approximately 1.5 percent (n=295) of all residential front yards were classified as lawn alternatives and these were photographed and mapped. The distribution of lawn alternatives clearly showed a clustering pattern with the majority located in older, more established areas. Neighborhoods with lawn alternatives typically had narrow streets, mature trees, small lots and varied topography. Most lawn alternatives did not appear professionally designed, generally contained non-native plant species and were located on lots with physical characteristics that made turf-grass maintenance difficult. The similarity of physical characteristics associated with lawn alternatives and the neighborhoods in which they were located suggests that the physical environment may be a more important predictor of lawn alternatives than is generally assumed.