My DH has often referred to himself as Chamberlain and me as Hitler: I keep demanding more land, and he just gives it up.
In this case, more of his lawns for more of my gardens. The man actually enjoys lawn care and is quite proud of the results, and, in fact, his lawns can get as much attention from passersby as my perennial beds do.
But there is a growing anti-lawn sentiment in this country as the impact of weed-killing and heavy feeding on the environment, especially on waterways, is made known. And, face it, lawns don't do much but take up space.
If you have ever thought about giving your entire yard over to your gardens, I'd advise you to read Susan Harris' account of that transformation in her yard. She didn't have much grass, but she dug it all up and planted it with Stepables, which are small, treadable perennials.
The good news? It is beautiful, as Susan's pictures show. The bad news? Weeding, weeding and more weeding. Plus, it takes some of these plants a long time to fill in.
My husband and I have reached a peace accord in the yard, and his grass is staying. But it is worth a look at what Susan, a founding member of the Lawn Reform Coalition, has accomplished.