Mowing in the right direction

As in, not at all.

An L.A. architect, Fritz Haeg, is in the midst on an ongoing project called Edible Estates in which he transforms the average tract of grass into an edible garden. The article reads like Haeg is more motivated by performance art than a passion for agriculture - in fact, he knows little about gardening and recruits knowledgeable volunteers.

Apparently, the neighbors of those who allow the transformation on their property are none too happy, preferring the staid monotony that most of us call our front yards. In my neighborhood, for example, the largely silent association has initiated a yard of the month prize (a Lowe's sponsored horrid sign in the winning yard all month - that's the much sought after prize) to encourage consistent monotony.

Haeg is planning the gardens around indigenous species so that his most recent garden in California is much different than the one in Kentucky. Props to him.

However, my nitpicky nature won't allow me to overlook the article's ending in which the homeowner playful laments the evening hours he must spend in tending to the garden. His project would be so much better if they would use a permaculture planting schema.

My only exposure to permaculture (and probably many Greensborians are the same) is Charlie Headington's yard which grows so much food that I have a hard time believing Charlie and his wife, Debby, could eat it all. Yet Charlie says the work it all upfront, planting in the spring. Weeding and all other maintenance takes about an hour a week, a little less than Rob spends mowing and trimming our piece of monotony.

You can read more about Charlie and his projects at his website, Earth Matters.