cecilelawrence.org: We from the tropics are way ahead in the green gardening movement in the U.S.

U.S. culture has a trained obsession with lawns. Two of us in the development of 800 houses on a former farm have resisted this toxic behaviour. We are both from islands in the Caribbean Sea. In my case, it could be that I grew this mini-forest in front in an attempt to shield myself from the hostility, ignorance and, yes, racism of those around me.
The development of this old farm tract on the side of a hill started with smaller one story houses now valued around $70,00 to $90,00, at the bottom of the hill, then later larger houses with more two story ones and some four bedroom ones, now valued around $100,000 to $250,000 in the midway up the hill (value varies on how much "upgrading" has been done to the interior, like newer kitchens and bathrooms and whether the house is 3 or 4 or 5 bedroom - mine has no upgrades to kitchen or bathrooms and is a 3 br/1 1/2 bath valued around $100,000 even though the plot size is almost 1/2 acre - a bit larger than most not on the creek which flows through the middle. The few on the creek can have a deep lawn sloping down to the creek). Further up towards the top of the hill and into the area where the electric lines are underground, house values can vary from $180,000 to $280,000 or more. At the very top in the most recently developed part, the houses have deep lawns in front with very long driveways and even 3 car garages. This results in values over $300,000.
In spite of the economy being in the gutter for well over two decades, with the departure of large corporations, the few people who move into the area do so because of the low cost of housing.

But, in any event, we both were way ahead of the movement to not have lawns.
Here's some photos of my place, in different seasons, in different years, held in respect for the original inhabitants, the indigenous people chased out and murdered and cornered into reservations.

A crucial item for gardening is a pair of trusty Wellingtons, a bit large, so I wear two long socks which also help to keep the Wellies from slipping off.

The 2014/2015 winter - aargh.

Another crucial item for winter:

I planted two Blue Spruce years ago when they were babies of 12 inches tall. Now they're huge, with nests and shelter for the birdies.

Photo taken while standing at the front door.
See how you can't really see the houses across the road, thus they can't really see me standing or sitting there. Nice. When I first started building this forest, the man next door with no trees marched up to my front door one day in a red-faced rage, waved his arm around and said "I don't know where you're from, but we don't do things like this around here."
Maybe they should have been for several health reasons.