Your garden is ruining my view... of the lawn

[Chantal]

You say natural. I say neglected. A growing number of urban gardeners are facing off with their neighbours over how they tend their plots: wild and eco-friendly or manicured and weed-free.

In the Globe and Mail

[Luna]

Hi Chantal.
Indeed that is a barrier that alot of urban gardeners have to deal with it. Many years ago 2 houses down from mine ,my neighbor decided to make a "fairy" garden fro her daughter . She had a nice lawn, with 2 big trees and some azaleas all over the garden and around the house. She decided that under the tree she was going to let grow free because it was the location that her daughter said she saw the fairies. Needless to say that someone called the city and the city came after her to cut the weeds that were growing there and since they were there they went after her to take down her aspargus garden . She refused , got a fine but the aspargus garden and the fairie garden stayed :)
Luna

[House Sparrows Academy]

My husband and I have been removing our lawn and replacing it with raised vegetable beds. Some of our neighbors in turn raise their eyebrows.

Here in Texas a lush, manicured lawn is revered. The city of Austin encourages xeriscaping, native plant use and a summer lawn watering schedule but many people hold on to the vision of a lush, emerald lawn and all of the resources that go to maintaining it. A front yard filled with vegetables or a wildscape comes across as bizarre.

So far the garden has been met mostly with curiosity. I think some people have never seen broccoli or collards outside of the supermarket. I have been told that if I "keep it up" and "looking nice" I won't have trouble with the neighbors. When we share in the bounty I hope our vegetable diplomacy will go a long way to maintaining our relationships and possibly encouraging others to give gardening a try, too.