Jason E. Andersen

Bonus fun fact: Last week’s bonus fun fact on letting violets grow in your yard sparked a lot of discussion about lawns in general. Did you know that the idea of lawns comes from the aristocratic elite of Europe? The areas surrounding medieval castles were cleared of trees, to make it easier for soldiers to see enemies sneaking up on them. Without trees to block the light, there was lots of grass, making them great areas to graze livestock. Lawns as we know them now didn’t come into play until the 17th century, when the filthy rich began using hired labor to cut those grassed areas with scythes, keeping them manicured like a garden, and showing the world just how wealthy and self-important they had become. So think about that piece of history the next time you’re mowing your lawn — you’re carrying on the tradition of aristocratic snobbery.