Lawn Order

"[M]ore gardeners - and cities across Canada - recognize the environmental benefits of native plant species that don't require water, pesticides or mowing."

"But they also hit a setback late last month, when news broke that Toronto resident Deborah Dale had come home to discover that her pesticide-free garden - a tiny jungle of native prairie grasses, Brown-eyed Susans and milkweed - had vanished."

"It was razed by city officials after a neighbour complained that Ms. Dale's property was a blight on the neighbourhood."

"'This isn't supposed to be happening any more,' said Larry Lamb, an ecologist who teaches a course in natural landscaping at the University of Waterloo. 'The [natural landscaping] movement is so entrenched and has been accommodated by so many municipalities. I'm really just stunned.'"

"For years, these battles have been making their way out of neighbourhoods and into city hall and even the courts. The city of Waterloo, Ont., scrapped its bylaw requiring lawn mowing several years ago. Dozens of communities in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia have limits on pesticide use. Others, including Ottawa and Toronto, have planted native species on municipal properties - including Toronto City Hall - and encourage residents to cultivate natural gardens through education campaigns."

"The movement is steamrolling so quickly, Mr. Lamb says, that 'I see a day when lawns will be a [key political] issue because of the requirement for water, mowing, and pesticide use.'"

"Which is why last month's city-sanctioned razing of Ms. Dale's front yard left so many naturalists dismayed at what they say is a major step backward."