When it comes to yard work there are two groups of people: those that like it, and those folks that don’t. I do not judge anyone on where they stand on the issue. But in my neighborhood there is a third group that is a radical off shoot of the folks that don’t like yard work. It’s not that they don’t like yard work and can’t afford to pay landscapers because their BMW payments are too high. It’s a group that has a deep hatred of all living organic matter and a belief that it must be killed by painfully poisonous chemicals. And Round-Up is that chemical choice.
Round-up is sold as a concentrate and the recommended use is 1 part Round-up, 42 parts water. But four of the 18 homes in my neighborhood (22%) apply it quarterly in its thick concentrate syrupy form with a paint brush – leaving no fighting Darwinian chance for a blade to grow or, god forbid, a wild flower to bloom.
These four neighbors don’t own typical gardening/landscaping tools or equipment other than chemical masks and bio suits.
The benefits of Round-Up vs landscaping are 1.) less time working in the yard, 2.) increased tolerance against chemical warfare, and 3.) less time working in the yard.
I don’t know who started this landscape technique, maybe they read about it on Pinterest? Or they were influenced by the NASA Mars Exploration program. I don’t care. But I do hope that it stops. Perfectly nice family homes on calcified dirt, gives the neighborhood a very eerie look. Photos provided by the good folks of Google Earth and by NASA/JPL.
My Neighborhood Pic#1
My Neighborhood Pic#2
Dwelling Unit on Mars
My Neighborhood Pic #3
bill91 
Since I’ve been in this county for 20 years, people ask me, “What ground cover grows best here?” I must admit that my usual first reply is, “Roundup!”
I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorite blogs.
Good job.
Your BFF,
Gary