What could be more iconic than sitting in the shade of a tree on the oval lawn in the middle of summer? Not only are lawns that perfect soft green surface to play and relax but they also release water through transpiration- providing cooling during the hot summer days.

The suburbs may make lawncare seem effortless, but here in the city, keeping an urban lawn alive is a significant challenge. Turfgrass is not native to the United States and grass species struggle in New York City’s hot summer days, intense humidity, and freezing winters. The grass species grown here are called cool season grasses. These grasses will not turn brown in the winter but they only actively grow in the spring and fall when temperatures are cool. 

In their natural habitat these species have evolved to live with cooler temperatures, full sun and ample rainfall of English moors. Grasses in Madison Square Park have to go above and beyond. New Yorkers are not only asking these grasses to grow well outside their traditional temperature range, but we’re also asking them to grow under dense shade canopy and under the footfalls of 60,000 daily visitors.

In order to have any hope for these grasses to survive, the horticulture team has to do extensive restoration each season while the grass is actively growing in the spring and fall. Each year the soil is very compacted after so many people have used the lawns. This makes it hard for water to enter the soil and for grass to have enough oxygen to grow. To fix this the team uses a core aerator that punches holes into the ground with metal tines. Just like an athlete, the grass next needs nutrition. A mix of organic fertilizer is used to ensure that the grass has enough nutrients to thrive under challenging conditions. Next comes seeding, grass seedlings can take up to 12 days to sprout and an additional two to four weeks to be rugged enough to withstand being walked on.

Madison Square Park’s lawns are diverse, and very often we see white clover (Trifolium repens) and wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) forming dense colonies in our lawns. These native lawn alternatives are weed suppressing and provide food for pollinators, so they are a welcome sight. The soil environment itself is a thriving ecosystem with over 9 billion organisms often living in a teaspoon of soil.

So next time you come to the park to touch grass and see that the lawns in the park are closed, know that even hardworking lawns sometimes need a break.