Michael Pollan’s book, Second Nature, includes a great piece entitled “Why Mow?”, where he explores the American lawn as “a metaphor for our skewed relationship with the land” and places it into historical and psychological context.

Lawns are nature purged of sex or death. No wonder Americans like them so much.

The whole book (buy it) is a great read, but if you’re more of a mower than a gardener you can find the individual piece online.