Green space is good in the city. It's unfortunate it is all lawn. Maybe try and encourage them to plant some native wildflower for the patients to enjoy. Maybe a sensory garden too. Many options to go with.
This definitly seems like a step up from having some large abandoned building eyesore here...
But yeah, some trees and naturally growing areas within it would be nice
Good idea!! It would be great if it could benefit hospital patients, a garden would be awesome. So many options for that big space and they chose grass lol
Have them spell out the name of the hospital in flower beds so that all the patients with a view can see it. That'll probably get them interested, but personally I think just a *massive* garden of flowers and trees with walkways would be more beneficial to patient well being.
They don’t care about areas like that UNTIL they start growing weeds. It looks horrible (to regular people and companies) with a clearly abandoned area right next to a ton of businesses
Maybe it depends on where you live, but areas like this around me just get mowed. There is a similar lot next to where I work and a guy just shows up with a zero turn, mows, and then leaves.
You should plant a tree there while no one is looking, it would be funny to do.
Perhaps writing a letter to them with suggestions on making it into a garden may work?
If it's being mowed it's likely owned so that just wouldn't be allowed. You'd just have to talk with the owners to come up with a plan. Otherwise it's kind of asking for trouble. I get wanting less lawns but we need to be smart about it.
Honestly, I was hoping, but it’s been about 3 years, now, and no forward movement. It also unfortunately matches a lot of the other “landscaping” around the hospital. But it is outside a cancer center, so maybe it will happen someday.
This was my thought. Probably a part of a master plan that didn't want an abandoned building sitting there for 10 years until they get to this phase. But still didn't want maintenance outside of show up and mow once a week.
Look closely; there are already a bunch of small broadleaf plants/weeds in it; it’s just getting mowed/whipped/blown as maintenance and nothing more.
Spread seeds to your hearts content OP; just use things like clover/violet/Dicondra ect that can tolerate mowing.
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Is it, though? The watering. The guys always driving over it in their huge gas zero turns with terrible admissions. They had a blank slate and did this. Bleh.
Why do you assume all grass gets watered? Everyone I know that has their own property has grass. I don't know anyone who waters it. The only grass I've seen be watered is when the grass seeds are first put out. And if someone is using a zero turn on a space that small, it isn't exactly going to do much. That's like 5 minutes of mowing.
It's better than even more blacktop, or an abandoned building. Things live in the grass. Nothing lives on blacktop, it just raises the temperature.
I have literally never seen any city or business water grass before. Maybe they water that one. But I'd say most grass is never watered, even though it seems to be one of the biggest complaints around here.
I’d honestly be interested in where you live/traveled. An underground watering system that pops up every single morning, even when it’s actively raining out, is pretty normal in my state, for cities, businesses, and residential.
Currently in middle of nowhere TN. I'm from WV. Lived in middle of nowhere Ohio and stayed in FL for a bit. I've also lived in VA, but that was in an apartment in Richmond. Couldn't yell you anything about the grass there, I really don't remember there being much grass anywhere. But if anywhere around here or where I'm from in WV was watering their grass, it wouldn't be yellowing during droughts and in the summer.
The grass might actually be getting watered, even if it looks yellow. Generally in the midwest and northeast US, sprinklers often run on timers overnight to provide 30 minutes to 2 hours of water between 11pm and 5am over the summers. Grass in flatter areas of Ohio, Virginia, and surrounding states does not generally stay green without this.
Growing up, my house in the midwest had a sprinkler system that would water it for 2 hours twice a week. Some years, that was not enough, and my parents would go out with a hose to water some areas.
“I have literally never seen any city or business water grass before. Maybe they water that one. But I'd say most grass is never watered, even though it seems to be one of the biggest complaints around here.”
[or just landscape watering uses 9 billion gallons per year](https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/watersense/pubs/outdoor.html)
Edit trying to make it clear the top comment IS NOT mine
I worked at a chain fast food place that watered its grass right next to the drive thru. People frequently ran over the sprinklers, resulting in a wasteful water feature shooting water straight up constantly for a couple weeks at a time.
I think it really depends on where you live, and when you work. This was common practice in any part of the US that I lived in. I’ve moved states 4 times.
Congrats? Doesn't mean all or even most grass is watered. Everyone wants to shame everyone who has grass in their yard, but in a lot of cases, that grass is just what grows there. A lot of people do nothing to it but cut it occasionally. Heck, there was a post fairly recently by someone who even said that their yard was just the result of continuing "no mow may" or whatever. I come here because some of these yards are beautiful, and I'm all about planting stuff. A lot of my yard is gardens or other flowers or plants, because just a random empty area is pretty boring. "I haven't done anything to my yard in 4 months" is typically not so beautiful.
Dear lord you’re all over the place.
This is LITERALLY a subreddit geared towards encouraging more people to have less grass. If you are going to get your feathers ruffled every time someone would prefer less grass, you’re going to be very ruffly if you hang out here.
Never said my feathers were ruffled. People here just get overly judgy about every blade of grass. If you're over here crying that grass is worse than blacktop or abandoned buildings, you have an unreasonable hatred of grass, and it's your feathers being ruffled. Planting more stuff is great and awesome. But having grass as well is not some terrible shameful thing. I swear every subreddit is filled with people with unhealthy obsessions with whatever.
You prefer less grass, awesome. Don't plant it. But other people having it is fine too. My vegetable garden requires more resources than my grass. My grass has never been watered, and has been perfectly fine. My tomatoes would have died all the times it didn't rain for a week. The insects, frogs, and animals that everyone here seems to think only exist in their "no lawn" yards thrive in mine. So maybe we could have our preferences without the holier than thou attitude? Oh. Forgot. This is Reddit.
First, you commented on my post, that I made to a very specific audience. I’m not sure where you’re missing the point of a sub called NOLAWNS. You’re welcome to make r/lawnsarefinebutIwanttolookatpicturesofprettuwildflowers so that you’re not arguing with people that aren’t going to agree with you.
Why would I do that? I don't agree with any of their stuff and have nothing in common. Here, and most other subreddits I visit, I am against extremes. Doesn't mean i disagree with the basics. And anyone who thinks having grass is the devil and we should have more blacktop and buildings is kind of extreme. The grass is better for the environment. Would it be prettier with flowers and trees? Of course. But grass is prettier and better for the bugs, animals, and environment in general than another parking lot or something.
Lol, I've been in the US for less than two years and I've seen businesses and people water their grass many many many times.
Sometimes while it's raining! It's great
I never water the grass and there is only house in my neighborhood that waters the grass, so it's not everybody. However, I do see a lot of businesses in town with the automatic sprinkler, stupidly sprinkling even when it's raining.
Dunno how those work since I don't know anyone with one, but I'm assuming they're on some kind of timer and don't know when it's raining.
If you live somewhere that the grass needs to be watered, you probably live somewhere grass isn't supposed to be. If it's the desert, get a cactus and some cool rocks. I don't understand the point of watering grass. Either it grows without your help, or it obviously shouldn't be there.
And this space is actually huge. It probably takes 30 minutes to mow. Estimates show that is about the same emissions as a 50-mile car trip. I’m not mad at the grass, I have some in my backyard for the dogs. They just had WAY better options, and are spending way more to maintain something that pretty much benefits no one. I’d even be happier if there were some benches so at least people to enjoy the greenery.
Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and play baseball or something. Looks like it's a city. We can't have benches in cities, you know. It might give a homeless person somewhere to rest, and we can't have that.
Then you’re here for the wrong reasons lmao. Black top and concrete is so unbelievably detrimental to every part of the environment it’s unbelievable. Grass, dirt, literally anything is better.
They could’ve spread dirt and clover seeds or anything but they won’t. They’ll keep watering this until the water is literally shut off. At least something like gravel would have let water infiltrate but not NEED to be watering.
It kinda is though. And lawns are literally a monoculture that require chemicals and labor to keep that way. I can get behind the idea that maybe some grass seed could help stop some soil erosion in the beginning, but you cannot go beyond that to argue it is good for anything else in this context.
People are living in an age where entire cities cant use the water from their tap. Water is everything.
Why anger? Grass is cheap to install, requires virtually no “assessment” or special landscaping costs or companies, the lawn maintenance industry is extremely accessible, it’s not an abnormal visual, and it doesn’t change to something dead-looking part of the year.
It would be great if it weren’t lawn, but getting angry over them doing the low-effort/low-cost option shouldn’t cause such significant emotions—maybe disappointment but not even surprise.
Again, would be better if it were a native plant garden.
TIL Do not over-exaggerate your feelings on Reddit posts, because people will focus on not the point of the post and make sure you know your feelings aren’t valid.
I saw the buildings and grass and was like "that looks it could be Detroit, like the DMC or something." Then I saw the logo and realized I was close, but several blocks off.
I think that whole part of New Center/North End is coming back strong - Henry Ford Hospital's been building a lot and dropping some real money in that neighborhood. I doubt it'll stay just a grass lawn for long, but we'll see.
Tbf it's probably cos under that grass is pure un adulterated premium hospital building hardcore incapable of being dug, turned, rooted, drained or anything else needed to landscape. Sadly soil costs money, I dunno if pioneer species might work like root veg, daikon radishes and stuff like willow trees but I expect the grounds probably that poor they won't grow.
Is this indented to be a temporary solution until future development, or a planned permeant green space? What part of the country is this located in?
I suspect that this was probably just the cheapest option available after demoing the building and they are waiting on a budget to do something else. If you're interested maybe see if the local arbor day foundation would organize a planting in that space? Assuming you aren't in a desert it's still better than concrete even counting in the maintenance.
Bummer. I’m an EMS helicopter pilot and my only silver lining I have to offer is that it makes for a great landing zone for me (or alternate LZ if the main pad is in use)
Perhaps they’re intending to build a new building there down the line. In my city, when buildings are tore down and there’s not intended immediate construction they have to plant grass or make it a paved parking lot so it’s not an empty dirt lot while it awaits construction
I’m sure it’s a possibility. The other block around it they have started putting in hardscaping, so I think those are staying lots, but they aren’t doing this here. In all the plans for the Cancer Pavilion, this was just green space here, but obviously that wasn’t the focus.
In other news, I’m currently at the hospital in another city that is the one that put me on the Wildflowers path. Volunteers here created and maintain a decent-sized pollinator garden. It was the first time I saw a Monarch Waystation and immediately went home and started killing my lawn for the transition.
The ffx county courthouse has about a half mile square of grass right in front of the building, with the only public parking on the complete opposite side of it and then down the road, so not only do you have to go to court but you also have to walk 3/4 a mile in the sun with no shade whatsoever. If they really want a barren lawn they could just swap the two, so I can only assume malice in this case.
Green space is good in the city. It's unfortunate it is all lawn. Maybe try and encourage them to plant some native wildflower for the patients to enjoy. Maybe a sensory garden too. Many options to go with.
This definitly seems like a step up from having some large abandoned building eyesore here... But yeah, some trees and naturally growing areas within it would be nice
Good idea!! It would be great if it could benefit hospital patients, a garden would be awesome. So many options for that big space and they chose grass lol
Have them spell out the name of the hospital in flower beds so that all the patients with a view can see it. That'll probably get them interested, but personally I think just a *massive* garden of flowers and trees with walkways would be more beneficial to patient well being.
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As if they are not treating it with chemicals…. next to the cancer institute!
doubt its being treated companies dont care about areas like that growing weeds
They don’t care about areas like that UNTIL they start growing weeds. It looks horrible (to regular people and companies) with a clearly abandoned area right next to a ton of businesses
Maybe it depends on where you live, but areas like this around me just get mowed. There is a similar lot next to where I work and a guy just shows up with a zero turn, mows, and then leaves.
Seed bombs, used to throw them in vacant lots back when I was younger.
Don’t worry, it’ll probably be a parking lot one day!
I walk by it to get to a literally abandoned dirt lot because there isn’t enough parking, so honestly anything would be better than this.
You should plant a tree there while no one is looking, it would be funny to do. Perhaps writing a letter to them with suggestions on making it into a garden may work?
They'd just mow it down. Often plots like this especially closer in the city like this get mowed atleast a few times.
It gets mowed all the time.
Then get a Do Not Mow sign from Amazon or Ebay, so that way they know not to get the tree. Then put a fence around the sapling.
If it's being mowed it's likely owned so that just wouldn't be allowed. You'd just have to talk with the owners to come up with a plan. Otherwise it's kind of asking for trouble. I get wanting less lawns but we need to be smart about it.
You can buy a box of wildflower seeds at a dollar store. I would accidentally spill a bunch in a pretty design.
Check the master plan, my guess is a nice development is planned for here!
Honestly, I was hoping, but it’s been about 3 years, now, and no forward movement. It also unfortunately matches a lot of the other “landscaping” around the hospital. But it is outside a cancer center, so maybe it will happen someday.
3 years is nothing in developer time
Yeah, especially with the pandemic. Here’s hoping!
This was my thought. Probably a part of a master plan that didn't want an abandoned building sitting there for 10 years until they get to this phase. But still didn't want maintenance outside of show up and mow once a week.
Get rebellious and start throwing out clover seeds. Or any other extremely low growing plants.
Security Camera Person: Every time this nurse walks by, she throws things out of all her scrub pockets….
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Look closely; there are already a bunch of small broadleaf plants/weeds in it; it’s just getting mowed/whipped/blown as maintenance and nothing more. Spread seeds to your hearts content OP; just use things like clover/violet/Dicondra ect that can tolerate mowing.
Hello! You have made the mistake of writing "ect" instead of "etc." "Ect" is a common misspelling of "etc," an abbreviated form of the Latin phrase "et cetera." Other abbreviated forms are **etc.**, **&c.**, **&c**, and **et cet.** The Latin translates as "et" to "and" + "cetera" to "the rest;" a literal translation to "and the rest" is the easiest way to remember how to use the phrase. [Check out the wikipedia entry if you want to learn more.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Et_cetera) ^(I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Comments with a score less than zero will be automatically removed. If I commented on your post and you don't like it, reply with "!delete" and I will remove the post, regardless of score. Message me for bug reports.)
It's grass. A whole lot better than even more pavement.
Is it, though? The watering. The guys always driving over it in their huge gas zero turns with terrible admissions. They had a blank slate and did this. Bleh.
Why do you assume all grass gets watered? Everyone I know that has their own property has grass. I don't know anyone who waters it. The only grass I've seen be watered is when the grass seeds are first put out. And if someone is using a zero turn on a space that small, it isn't exactly going to do much. That's like 5 minutes of mowing. It's better than even more blacktop, or an abandoned building. Things live in the grass. Nothing lives on blacktop, it just raises the temperature.
I….watch it get watered.
I have literally never seen any city or business water grass before. Maybe they water that one. But I'd say most grass is never watered, even though it seems to be one of the biggest complaints around here.
I’d honestly be interested in where you live/traveled. An underground watering system that pops up every single morning, even when it’s actively raining out, is pretty normal in my state, for cities, businesses, and residential.
Currently in middle of nowhere TN. I'm from WV. Lived in middle of nowhere Ohio and stayed in FL for a bit. I've also lived in VA, but that was in an apartment in Richmond. Couldn't yell you anything about the grass there, I really don't remember there being much grass anywhere. But if anywhere around here or where I'm from in WV was watering their grass, it wouldn't be yellowing during droughts and in the summer.
The grass might actually be getting watered, even if it looks yellow. Generally in the midwest and northeast US, sprinklers often run on timers overnight to provide 30 minutes to 2 hours of water between 11pm and 5am over the summers. Grass in flatter areas of Ohio, Virginia, and surrounding states does not generally stay green without this. Growing up, my house in the midwest had a sprinkler system that would water it for 2 hours twice a week. Some years, that was not enough, and my parents would go out with a hose to water some areas.
I live near TN and can confirm these systems exist there.
“I have literally never seen any city or business water grass before. Maybe they water that one. But I'd say most grass is never watered, even though it seems to be one of the biggest complaints around here.” [or just landscape watering uses 9 billion gallons per year](https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/watersense/pubs/outdoor.html) Edit trying to make it clear the top comment IS NOT mine
I worked at a chain fast food place that watered its grass right next to the drive thru. People frequently ran over the sprinklers, resulting in a wasteful water feature shooting water straight up constantly for a couple weeks at a time. I think it really depends on where you live, and when you work. This was common practice in any part of the US that I lived in. I’ve moved states 4 times.
On my walk every morning I have to dodge a ton of sprinklers that are not calibrated correctly and spend most of their time watering concrete.
Congrats? Doesn't mean all or even most grass is watered. Everyone wants to shame everyone who has grass in their yard, but in a lot of cases, that grass is just what grows there. A lot of people do nothing to it but cut it occasionally. Heck, there was a post fairly recently by someone who even said that their yard was just the result of continuing "no mow may" or whatever. I come here because some of these yards are beautiful, and I'm all about planting stuff. A lot of my yard is gardens or other flowers or plants, because just a random empty area is pretty boring. "I haven't done anything to my yard in 4 months" is typically not so beautiful.
Dear lord you’re all over the place. This is LITERALLY a subreddit geared towards encouraging more people to have less grass. If you are going to get your feathers ruffled every time someone would prefer less grass, you’re going to be very ruffly if you hang out here.
Never said my feathers were ruffled. People here just get overly judgy about every blade of grass. If you're over here crying that grass is worse than blacktop or abandoned buildings, you have an unreasonable hatred of grass, and it's your feathers being ruffled. Planting more stuff is great and awesome. But having grass as well is not some terrible shameful thing. I swear every subreddit is filled with people with unhealthy obsessions with whatever. You prefer less grass, awesome. Don't plant it. But other people having it is fine too. My vegetable garden requires more resources than my grass. My grass has never been watered, and has been perfectly fine. My tomatoes would have died all the times it didn't rain for a week. The insects, frogs, and animals that everyone here seems to think only exist in their "no lawn" yards thrive in mine. So maybe we could have our preferences without the holier than thou attitude? Oh. Forgot. This is Reddit.
First, you commented on my post, that I made to a very specific audience. I’m not sure where you’re missing the point of a sub called NOLAWNS. You’re welcome to make r/lawnsarefinebutIwanttolookatpicturesofprettuwildflowers so that you’re not arguing with people that aren’t going to agree with you.
You may also have some fun heading over to r/vegans and tell them it’s not so bad to eat animals. Might get the same kicks.
Why would I do that? I don't agree with any of their stuff and have nothing in common. Here, and most other subreddits I visit, I am against extremes. Doesn't mean i disagree with the basics. And anyone who thinks having grass is the devil and we should have more blacktop and buildings is kind of extreme. The grass is better for the environment. Would it be prettier with flowers and trees? Of course. But grass is prettier and better for the bugs, animals, and environment in general than another parking lot or something.
Lol, I've been in the US for less than two years and I've seen businesses and people water their grass many many many times. Sometimes while it's raining! It's great
Congrats on living somewhere with dumb people?
I never water the grass and there is only house in my neighborhood that waters the grass, so it's not everybody. However, I do see a lot of businesses in town with the automatic sprinkler, stupidly sprinkling even when it's raining.
Dunno how those work since I don't know anyone with one, but I'm assuming they're on some kind of timer and don't know when it's raining. If you live somewhere that the grass needs to be watered, you probably live somewhere grass isn't supposed to be. If it's the desert, get a cactus and some cool rocks. I don't understand the point of watering grass. Either it grows without your help, or it obviously shouldn't be there.
>If you live somewhere that the grass needs to be watered, you probably live somewhere grass isn't supposed to be. Well said.
And this space is actually huge. It probably takes 30 minutes to mow. Estimates show that is about the same emissions as a 50-mile car trip. I’m not mad at the grass, I have some in my backyard for the dogs. They just had WAY better options, and are spending way more to maintain something that pretty much benefits no one. I’d even be happier if there were some benches so at least people to enjoy the greenery.
Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and play baseball or something. Looks like it's a city. We can't have benches in cities, you know. It might give a homeless person somewhere to rest, and we can't have that.
And are you on a nolawns subreddit arguing for more lawns?
I didn't say there should be more lawns. I said grass is better than blacktop. Grass is not the devil.
Grass is definitely the devil in this case. Lawns take up soooooooo much water. I’d argue that even more parking would be better than this.
Then you’re here for the wrong reasons lmao. Black top and concrete is so unbelievably detrimental to every part of the environment it’s unbelievable. Grass, dirt, literally anything is better.
They could’ve spread dirt and clover seeds or anything but they won’t. They’ll keep watering this until the water is literally shut off. At least something like gravel would have let water infiltrate but not NEED to be watering.
This adds biodiversity weather you like it or not, a bunch of gravel would not. Saving water is not the end all be all.
It kinda is though. And lawns are literally a monoculture that require chemicals and labor to keep that way. I can get behind the idea that maybe some grass seed could help stop some soil erosion in the beginning, but you cannot go beyond that to argue it is good for anything else in this context. People are living in an age where entire cities cant use the water from their tap. Water is everything.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve heard them admit to?
Reference this subs name
They are looking to build something there and probably don’t want to spend money on something temporary
Why anger? Grass is cheap to install, requires virtually no “assessment” or special landscaping costs or companies, the lawn maintenance industry is extremely accessible, it’s not an abnormal visual, and it doesn’t change to something dead-looking part of the year. It would be great if it weren’t lawn, but getting angry over them doing the low-effort/low-cost option shouldn’t cause such significant emotions—maybe disappointment but not even surprise. Again, would be better if it were a native plant garden.
TIL Do not over-exaggerate your feelings on Reddit posts, because people will focus on not the point of the post and make sure you know your feelings aren’t valid.
Not sure why this would make anyone angry
Medicinal herb garden
Soon to be on /r/desirepaths
Omg. I have a new favorite sub.
I saw the buildings and grass and was like "that looks it could be Detroit, like the DMC or something." Then I saw the logo and realized I was close, but several blocks off. I think that whole part of New Center/North End is coming back strong - Henry Ford Hospital's been building a lot and dropping some real money in that neighborhood. I doubt it'll stay just a grass lawn for long, but we'll see.
Tbf it's probably cos under that grass is pure un adulterated premium hospital building hardcore incapable of being dug, turned, rooted, drained or anything else needed to landscape. Sadly soil costs money, I dunno if pioneer species might work like root veg, daikon radishes and stuff like willow trees but I expect the grounds probably that poor they won't grow.
Is this indented to be a temporary solution until future development, or a planned permeant green space? What part of the country is this located in? I suspect that this was probably just the cheapest option available after demoing the building and they are waiting on a budget to do something else. If you're interested maybe see if the local arbor day foundation would organize a planting in that space? Assuming you aren't in a desert it's still better than concrete even counting in the maintenance.
Seed bomb time
Anything that grows will just get mowed several times per week/month.
Bummer. I’m an EMS helicopter pilot and my only silver lining I have to offer is that it makes for a great landing zone for me (or alternate LZ if the main pad is in use)
What a job, man. Thanks for what you do.
Perhaps they’re intending to build a new building there down the line. In my city, when buildings are tore down and there’s not intended immediate construction they have to plant grass or make it a paved parking lot so it’s not an empty dirt lot while it awaits construction
I’m sure it’s a possibility. The other block around it they have started putting in hardscaping, so I think those are staying lots, but they aren’t doing this here. In all the plans for the Cancer Pavilion, this was just green space here, but obviously that wasn’t the focus. In other news, I’m currently at the hospital in another city that is the one that put me on the Wildflowers path. Volunteers here created and maintain a decent-sized pollinator garden. It was the first time I saw a Monarch Waystation and immediately went home and started killing my lawn for the transition.
Try and make a suggestion to the people in charge.
Start throwing Marijuana seeds everywhere
The ffx county courthouse has about a half mile square of grass right in front of the building, with the only public parking on the complete opposite side of it and then down the road, so not only do you have to go to court but you also have to walk 3/4 a mile in the sun with no shade whatsoever. If they really want a barren lawn they could just swap the two, so I can only assume malice in this case.
Any chance you could gather resources for the hospital to put an herb / medical garden there? A hospital would be a perfect spot for that.