How to Mow a Lawn

Wes Hiatt, M.Arch ’17

To maximize efficiency, it’s important to push the mower in as straight a line as possible, parallel to the strip you just cut. It’s a shame to cut the same grass twice, or worse, leave a patch of unshorn blades. Foregoing the possibility of a fence, it is also essential to know where your lawn ends and your neighbor’s begins. The goal is to avoid relentless mowing, back and forth, into your neighbor’s yard, into your neighbor’s neighbor’s yard, and then right down the whole street. The border between your lawn and your neighbor’s should be carefully considered, calibrated, and negotiated by all parties involved. Only then will you be able to decide with some certainty where to stop mowing. Establishing the extents of your yard is critical to its health and appearance. It is also the key to your mowing success. In doing so, you and your neighbors can delight in committing the ultimate political act: the definition of your property limits.