Plenty of people like the colorful leaves at this time of year in the Midwest and other parts of the country. But, why do they like such colors in leaves or in flowers throughout the year and also prefer lawns that are green only?

The lush green lawn free of weeds and leaves is the ideal. People will even paint their lawn green. Why monotone green? A few possibilities:

-Green signals verdant and healthy.

-If green is the color of spring (for grass, leaves, etc.), then keeping that signal of spring and life as long as possible is a positive.

-The green lawn lobby has been very successful.

-Keeping a lawn green throughout the year is a sign of money and resources.

-A consistently green lawn provides possibilities for contrasts with other colors used for house exteriors and other landscaping. If yards were other colors, the contrast colors change as well.

-Americans likes earth tones less compared to green. They do not want to be reminded of earth but rather the ways humans have changed the earth.

I am sure there is a historical and cultural answer to this question. In the meantime, I will observe both the changing colors of leaves – it all happens relatively quickly – and how these leaves cover green canvasses across suburbia.

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