I used to think lawns were dumb but then I moved to a place where if you don't take care of your yard, it's just overrun with bugs and weeds. Planting too many trees makes things damp and miserable, open areas are key, but that's where stuff grows. Most plants can't survive being mowed, but grass loves it, and the birds can pick out insects when it's low. So now I like lawns, it's the human version of a meadow. And I don't see an alternative, other than growing an extra long beard, converting myself in mud, and becoming a druid
I’ve planted clover and creeping thyme and wildflowers in my garden. I have a reel mower that I push at highest setting over the clover when it has a growth spurt.
Get a push mower. It's insane how much better it is in every single way. There's no reason at all to push a 2 stroke across your lawn after paying for gas and getting it to star. You just quietly glide over that grass quiet. And some have a bag too.
I like the way my backyard looks with all the clover and stuff for ground cover, but it also makes it almost impossible to enjoy it. The amount of insects and stuff that fly in my face or bite me while I'm out there just makes me miserable. I didn't have this issue when it was just mowed down grass.
xeriscape the front, let most of the back just grow out wild, and keep a small patch of grass in an area where you like to chill (for me this is in a courtyard)
use an old school push mower for this small patch. You get a little exercise with this, but not enough to ever stress ya, and it requires no gas, no oil, no electricity and barely ever any maintenance.
My parents always had lawns but always had a battery powered mower. They currently have a small lawn that continues to their neighbor's yard that they're planning to replace with something more eco-friendly & drought-tolerant.
I love mowing lawns. Put some headphones on and a good audiobook and I can mow for hours. I'm actually a little sad that I only have a small lawn now, because I can barely get into a rhythm before I'm done.
The only care my lawn gets is a mowing or needle raking once in a year. Some bush trimming maybe, but that's it. Rabbits, neighborhood cats, and deer hang out in it all the time.
I would rather live in a dense area and not even have a yard, and instead visit the nearby park for my greenery needs.