If, as has been reported, insect populations are in decline, this is one way to address the problem. Plus, gardens and meadows are much more interesting to look at than lawns.
"America’s love affair with the lawn began as an attempt to copy European aristocrats who first popularized the idea of green, grassy expanses in the 17th and 18th centuries when they planted the agricultural fields around their estates with turf. The message this sent to their neighbors was clear: they had more land than they needed—they could afford to waste some.
Today, lawns in the United States cover more than 63,000 square miles—roughly the size of Texas. Dominated by non-native species of turf grass, these lawns require a staggering amount of water, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, gasoline, and labor.
While manicured grass lawns provide space for recreation and events and their well-kept appearance appeals to many people, their environmental and economic costs are significant. They stifle biological diversity, contribute to air and water pollution, and cost Americans billions of dollars each year.
For many local governments, institutions, and individual homeowners, converting portions of their lawns to natural meadow is a cost-effective and ecologically sound proposition that doesn’t conflict with recreational and aesthetic considerations. Once established, meadows offer a host of environmental, financial, and aesthetic benefits."
https://conservationtools.org/guides/151-from-lawn-to-meadow
"America’s love affair with the lawn began as an attempt to copy European aristocrats who first popularized the idea of green, grassy expanses in the 17th and 18th centuries when they planted the agricultural fields around their estates with turf. The message this sent to their neighbors was clear: they had more land than they needed—they could afford to waste some.
Today, lawns in the United States cover more than 63,000 square miles—roughly the size of Texas. Dominated by non-native species of turf grass, these lawns require a staggering amount of water, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, gasoline, and labor.
While manicured grass lawns provide space for recreation and events and their well-kept appearance appeals to many people, their environmental and economic costs are significant. They stifle biological diversity, contribute to air and water pollution, and cost Americans billions of dollars each year.
For many local governments, institutions, and individual homeowners, converting portions of their lawns to natural meadow is a cost-effective and ecologically sound proposition that doesn’t conflict with recreational and aesthetic considerations. Once established, meadows offer a host of environmental, financial, and aesthetic benefits."
https://conservationtools.org/guides/151-from-lawn-to-meadow