The etiquette of the German garden entails a manicured short, lush green lawn (which, unfortunately, requires constant watering in summer). The fascination of lawns spread from England throughout Europe with the advent of landscape gardening in the 19th century. The ideal green, weed-free lawn was labor-intensive as it required regular watering and mowing. As a result, it quickly became a status symbol, which it remained even after the invention of the mechanical lawn mower. The cultural importance of the lawn is demonstrated by the desire to export it: While in Central Europe the climatic conditions are more favorable for the green lawn, that is not so in warmer regions. Nevertheless, in the British colonies, people tried to adapt the aesthetic appearance of nature to the British garden, thereby wasting water relentlessly.
In which way is the relationship between nature and culture influenced by gender stereotypes? What is the connection of the apparent mainstream-societal discomfort towards both long grass and the unshaven legs and armpits of female-read bodies?
