NPR: Colorado Grass Controversy Take Two

Colorado Grass Controversy Take Two

Rather than sending you on a hyperlink hunt, I'm going to recap a continuing blog saga.

Talking Plants reader Luanne Stehno lives in the Denver 'burb of Arvada. Several years ago, she entered a city-sponsored contest and won a xeriscape garden. This past summer, someone complained that Luanne's mass planting of blue grama grass was way too high.

And indeed it was, according to Arvada city code, which places a height limit of 12 inches on "grass and weeds". And 12 inches is typically as high as blue grama gets, according to the city that sanctioned its planting.

Unfortunately, two things happened.

For one, Arvada had a particularly wet growing season, resulting in exuberant grass growth.

For another, plants can't read.

Maria VanderKolk, assistant to the Arvada's city manager, sent Talking Plants a very thorough letter detailing Arvada's side of the story. We thank her for pointing out that Arvada "wholeheartedly supports lawns planted with drought-tolerant varieties," adding, "we also believe those lawns should be maintained."

Call me wild and crazy but this whole affair seems a brilliant opportunity for Arvada -- a city that prides itself on being named "Colorado Energy Champion" of 2006 -- to ditch its landscape code in favor of one that addresses a more 21st century aesthetic and resource awareness. Already, as Ms. VanderKolk points out, Arvada shows more flexibility than nearby Denver, whose tolerance for seas of Colorado's state grass stops at 6 inches.

No doubt changing city code will be an enormous hassle; I don't underestimate the effort. But I'll bet lots of Arvadians will step up to the challenge.

Just ask Luanne Stehno.

Under loud protest, Luanne Stehno has since trimmed her grama grass meadow. "We have to be accepting of different-looking landscapes," she says. "This is what the future is going to be."

Courtesy Luanne Stehno

11:54 PM ET | 08-26-2007 | permalink

comments | | e-mail

Comments

View all comments »

Add a Comment

Please note that all comments must adhere to the NPR.org discussion rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.

that is a very pretty yard. i'm sorry to hear that she had to cut it. I'd like to do something like that in my back yard. My house has nearly a full acre. It's mostly in the back and i dont like to cut all that in the Memphis summer heat. I often let the most of the back get to about a foot tall before i cut it. i think of it as my prairie. could i plant the same grass or is there a better grass for my climate? it can get pretty hot and dry out here.

Sent by Richard | 5:20 PM ET | 08-27-2007

We have a large section of blue gramma grass in our back yard. This is our first year of just letting it do its own thing. It's knee high. It looks like a beautiful meadow. It provides its own shade for the roots and earth so that it requires even less water. And more importantly, it hardly takes any maintenance. I know there are lots of people who prefer manicured lawns, but that has to change. We can't afford to spend more than half of our water resources on landscaping!

Sent by Donna Gemeinhart | 6:25 PM ET | 08-27-2007

I think the gramma grass is beautiful, but I have a question... what about snakes? That's the only thing that unnerves me about knee high grass (of any kind).

Sent by Jenn | 9:17 AM ET | 08-28-2007

I am astounded that any municipality has a lawn height ordinance. I haven't lived in a town since '97, but the one I left (Bend OR) was very tolerant and encouraging of people who took out lawns and planted native vegitation. Perhaps the west is a bit more progressive concerning saving water.

Sent by Tom | 3:04 PM ET | 08-28-2007

We are having a similar battle with our HOA even though we were given the ok for xeriscaping 51/2 yrs ago, and now some new people are trying to change it. We will move before we roll out a lawn. The kicker...we are in Tx where we need to conserver water even more. To Tom why would you leave Bend?

Sent by Cynthia | 4:08 PM ET | 08-28-2007

I've never understood these sorts of ordinances anyway. It's her lawn. She should be able to do with it what she likes, within reason (and I consider allowing for natural vegetation growth to be reasonable). Yes, snakes may show up at times, but again, it's her yard and a risk she willingly assumes. If her neighbors are worried, they need only keep their lawn "well-manicured" to deter most critters.

Sent by Quentin | 10:54 AM ET | 08-29-2007

Wow. This just marinates my mind, and makes me damn glad that I live in a tiny rural community where not only can I let grow on my property what I want (including nettles, thistles, milkweed and goldenrod for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies) and also have a clothesline!!
This ordinance thing just speaks to the fact that we are all overregulated by clueless bureaucrats (wherever we live) and that we need to start a little of Thoreau's civil disobedience to bring some sanity back into the equation.

Sent by jodi | 9:21 PM ET | 08-29-2007

Too bad, isn't it??!!

Sent by Tanja | 8:45 AM ET | 08-30-2007

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

E-mail |
Print

Ketzel Levine

BLOGGER

What is 'Talking Plants?'

Talking Plants is an open invitation to meet new plants and cool plant people, tour incredible private gardens, savor inside-gardening industry gossip, swap dead plant stories and get the odd gardening question answered by your fellow "hort-heads."

To learn more, read the FAQs and the discussion guidelines.

www.flickr.com

photos in Ketzel Levine's Talking Plants

Share your gardening photos in Ketzel's Flickr group!

Talking Plants' Past

Before Talking Plants the blog, there was Ketzel Levine's Talking Plants the Web site. Although it's no longer updated, the site still offers an archive of Plant Profiles. It also answers the eternal question: Why Did My Plant Die?.

Comment Privately

If you would like to send private comments or questions to Talking Plants with Ketzel Levine, please use our contact form.

Blog Roll

Search 'Talking Plants Blog'

Browse Topics

Services

Programs

Text-only