The value of a patch of green

Every garden ought to have a little lawn, if it can. Grass not only provides moisture to bees and other insects but also acts as a natural rain collector.

This month, the flooding of homes has weighed heavily on the minds of many Bengalureans. The reasons are well-known at this point. The flooding is also partly due to the lack of vegetation, as old wetlands have been replaced by concrete.

Grass has a very important role to play in our surroundings. Unlike concrete, grass absorbs heat rather than reflect it back and is cooler than the surrounding environment. The difference in temperature between a concrete path and its adjacent grass is usually more than 10 degrees. In fact, grass is even cooler than soil. It tolerates drought and shrivels during summer but recovers with rain. During the rainy season, the grass prevents water stagnation and channels it into the ground. When grown with other plants, it produces an ecosystem that maintains the health of the garden.

In India, we rarely make space for soil or a lawn. On any piece of land, most of the plot is occupied by the house, while the remaining area is plastered up and decorated with a few potted plants.

What if we could convert a small portion of our garden into a mini lawn that could beautify the house and also act as a conduit to recharge our rainwater wells?

In the initial days of the pandemic, I did not have sufficient time to maintain my garden due to a shift in my priorities. My sporadic visits allowed the garden to flourish. Unhindered, the bamboo, bougainvillaea, mango, hibiscus, and calliandra spread their branches.

Within a few downpours, the garden was bursting at its seams. Undoubtedly, the birds enjoyed the thicket; the more the vegetation, the more the insects. Crow pheasant and paradise flycatchers were regular visitors. It was also home to a couple of magpie robins.

On the other hand, the lawn in the middle of our garden had deteriorated. It was overrun with clover and crabgrass. Keeping a garden free of weeds is an important aspect of maintenance. A few months of neglect will cause them to take over the entire garden. I did not want to use any type of pesticide to eradicate the weeds on the lawn, so I pulled and dug up the roots. Yet they persisted. I, therefore, purchased a hedge trimmer to facilitate the task. We were able to remove the weeds to a certain extent but were left with a patchy lawn and bare soil.

Rain collector

The winter monsoon commenced. Even a brief rainfall swamped the lawn. I planned a flower patch in the middle of the lawn using seeds I’d preserved over the years in the hopes that it might alleviate the water logging.

For ground cover, I identified a couple of internet nurseries and ordered purple Copia plants and peace lilies. I put them around the perimeter to keep the soil from eroding.

The saplings lacked the strength to withstand the downpour. The land was inundated. We had never seen stagnant water in the lawn area. All these years, the grass had ensured that not a drop of water was wasted.

It served as a preview of what would have occurred if the rain had reached enormous proportions. It made me appreciate the vital role roots play in directing water to the earth.

When spring arrived, we re-laid the grass while keeping the flower bed. Additionally, watering the lawn was easier now.

The surplus water from the patch flows through the grass and maintains moisture. A lawn is home to insects and earthworms. The occasional use of neem powder prevents pests and decay.

It is a germination bed for the seeds scattered by the surrounding plants. It provides moisture and water to bees and other insects. It acts as a natural rain collector. When combined with plants, it produces a lovely, diverse landscape.

The recent flooding in Bengaluru serves as a sombre reminder that paved roads prevent water from seeping into the soil.

If there was grass or trees along the water flow, the effects of the floods could have been mitigated. If possible, include grass in your landscape instead of plastering all the surfaces around your home.

Motley Garden is your monthly kaleidoscopic view into a sustainable garden ecosystem.

The author believes that gardening is not just about plants and how to nurture them. It is also about bees, butterflies, insects, flies, and bugs that make it their home. She is on social media as @neelavanam