Leisa Elliot''s unwatered lawn has been recognised on an international level. Photo: Supplied / Gotland
The Canterbury woman who has won the World's Ugliest Lawn Award is chuffed her piece of parched paradise with its all-natural, weather-beaten dents has been internationally recognised.
NZ resident Leisa Elliott from Birdlings Flat is the winner of the World's Ugliest Lawn in 2024 award. Photo: Supplied
While most New Zealanders prefer lawns that are lush, green and the perfect place for the kids to play backyard cricket or rugby, the Ugliest Lawn Award judges praised Leisa Elliot's lawn for thriving without human interference or a drop of irrigation, except from the skies.
Elliot said she had a low-maintenance approach to the lawn and garden at her Birdlings Flat house in Canterbury.
"My lawn goes blonde in the summer," she said.
"It's thriving, and I don't water it, it adapts itself to the natural cycle."
But some people prefer traditional luscious lawns. RNZ's Jamie Annan said he loved it when his lawn was looking pristine.
"I think it's quite a completist thing, you feel like you've done something," he said.
He believed it was vital the lawn was kept in good condition.
"You're absolutely setting it up so the kids can play on the lawn, you can get the paddling pool out and they can jump around on there as well, but it's also for the barbecues, you want to make sure you've got somewhere for your friends to go and play on the lawn as well, just as much as the kids."
Lawn Doctor owner Donal Stuart said to have a lovely lawn, there was a sweet spot when it came to mowing.
"The longer the lawn is on top, the bigger the roots are underneath," said Stuart
"You can also crowd out the moss and the weeds by having a longer lawn as well.
Stuart said while it was not impossible to have nature-friendly lawns, it was challenging.
"That is quite a difficult thing," he said.
"You can talk about organic fertilizers, but they tend to be fertilizers that don't have a lot of kick in them, blood and bone, that sort of thing."
But naturalist and bugman Ruud Kleinpaste said biodiversity was the key to a lovely lawn.
"I think a lawn is quite monocultural," he said.
"A lot of people spend a lot of money, and a lot of insecticides and pesticides, and all sorts of weird stuff to make that lawn look perfect, whereas, in my opinion, the bugs and birds would love a lawn that has got a lot of food in them, and that means its got to be biodiverse."
Kleinpaste said there were benefits to making your lawn eco-friendly.
"You attract all the pollinators, and parasites, and predators that actually help you with pest control, but it also makes your other flowers bloom, and become pollinated," he said.
"You've got the best of both worlds, literally."
Whether you are vying for this year's ugliest lawn award, or after a well-groomed, wildlife wonderland, it is clear lovely or ugly lawns are in the eyes of the beholder.
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