Although the lawn will always have its place as a verdant blanket, it need
not be thought of as merely a backdrop for flower beds. It is possible to use
grass as an integral element of your garden rather than an afterthought.
Historically, the formal lawn was functional -- enclosing horses and livestock
on grand estates. In the 18th century, it became a design element in its own
right, as French landscape architects began designing crisp, geometric gardens.
Shape Shifters
Lawns can be cultivated into just about any shape you can imagine. Some
of the most classic shapes include the cloverlike quatrefoil, the notched rectangle,
and the ellipse, as well as circles and rectangles, which have a geometric purity.
In the past, classic and formal French gardens tended to emphasize skillful
artistry and offered rigid symmetry and straight lines, while the picturesque
landscapes of 18th-century England emphasized more natural, curving lawns and
S-shaped designs.
Use a series of garden hoses to map out your own garden plan. Survey it from
a second-floor window or from a distance, and if it suits your taste, mark the
design with spray paint or survey flags.
How Green Was My Terrace
Shaped grassy areas can also enhance terraces. Thick bands of grass around the
perimeter of an outdoor terrace offer a gentle transition between the hardscape
and softer plantings, such as flower beds. Tracing the outline of a terrace
with thin ribbons of grass is equally effective in emphasizing its stylized
shape.
Embedding a Zenlike carpet of green grass in the center of a terrace provides
a peaceful focal point, especially if ornamented with a sculpture or fountain.
A round, oval, or half-moon pad of grass close to the house can perform double
duty as an informal terrace-cum-lawn and as a gathering place with several pieces
of garden furniture arranged in a conversational grouping.
Splendor in the Grass
Fanciful patterns of alternating grass and pavers add graphic style to a
terrace, the base of an outdoor staircase, or a parking court. Checkerboard
or lozenge patterns scattered around the rim of a swimming pool present a cool
alternative to hot pavement under bare feet.
For an even more personal touch, grass may be shaped into decorative medallions,
including monograms, a family crest, or classical forms such as the fleur-de-lis.
One caveat: Ornate grass patterns that are embedded in hard surfaces such
as parking courts require heavy fertilization and ample irrigation to be maintained.
