How to Mow a Meadow

Covid-19 has turned the world upside down, a concept that previously only existed in thriller scripts. Just as we emerge from our respective caves the world awakes placing a mind boggling pent up log jam. Everything was in the wrong place, everybody needed everything, everywhere and by tomorrow at the latest.

It has created a focus on what we do and need that is quite disturbing. We need to adjust to a new world order but everyone is waiting for each other to make the break, that is if you discount the masses of humankind that made a financial fortune during an era of despair.

Recently we all learnt the government had agreed to the introduction of a new grade of petrol. Most us learnt of the development when faced with stickers on petrol pumps announcing the arrival of E10. The existing E5 being phased out the sticker boldly said check with your manufacturer before using this grade! Ouch. Bit of a predicament when you have arrived at the petrol station with just fumes in the tank.

Much searching in t’internet may or may not offer reassurance that you are not going to destroy your car’s engine. But help was at hand, the fuel panic stopped you buying any fuel so the debate became academic for a while. And then you couldn’t buy petrol in fuel cans, so your mature lawn mower, trimmer, hedge trimmer has an enforced reprieve.

Yet like Covid-19 which renewed the adage; necessity is the mother of invention, we muddled on. Lawns were left a little longer, hedges left untrimmed. This overcame another restriction, it meant you would avoid trying to plonk the grass, and hedge cuttings in an overflowing green wheelie bin.

The best example of the “green” approach to grass cutting can be seen above. Graveyard are notoriously difficult to mow. Lumps and bumps abound along with leaning headstones, grave surrounds and the odd tree. Bring on the munchies. Sheep can roam freely eating grass, weeds and strimming right up the edge of gravestones. And they don’t need to fill up green wheelies with the cuttings and care not a jot about E10 or fuel shortages.