awns may have originated as grassed enclosures within early medieval settlements used for

communal grazing of livestock, as distinct from fields reserved for agriculture. The word "laune"
is first attested in 1540,[5] and is likely related to the Celtic Brythonic word lan/llan/laun, which has
the meaning of enclosure, often in relation to a place of worship.
Lawns became popular with the aristocracy in northern Europe from the Middle Ages onward.
The early lawns were not always distinguishable from pasture fields. The damp climate of
maritime Western Europe in the north made lawns possible to grow and manage. They were not
a part of gardens in other regions and cultures of the world until contemporary influence[clarification
.
needed] [6]

Before the invention of mowing machines in 1830, lawns were managed very differently. They
were an element of wealthy estates and manor houses, and in some places were maintained by
the labor-intensive methods of scything and shearing. In most situations, they were also pasture
land maintained through grazing by sheep or other livestock. Areas of grass grazed regularly
by rabbits, horses or sheep over a long period often form a very low, tight sward similar to a
modern lawn. This was the original meaning of the word "lawn", and the term can still be found in
place names. Some forest areas where extensive grazing is practiced still have these
seminatural lawns. For example, in the New Forest, England, such grazed areas are common,
and are known as lawns, for example Balmer Lawn. Lawns similar to those of today first
appeared in France and England in the 1700s when André Le Nôtre designed the gardens
of Versailles that included a small area of grass called the tapis vert, or "green carpet".
lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such
as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawnmower and used for aesthetic and
recreational purposes. Common characteristics of a lawn are that it is composed only of grass
species, it is subject to weed and pest control, it is subject to practices aimed at maintaining its
green color (e.g., watering), and it is regularly mowed to ensure an acceptable length,[1] although
these characteristics are not binding as a definition. Lawns are used around houses, apartments,
commercial buildings and offices. Many city parks also have large lawn areas. In recreational
contexts, the specialised names turf, pitch, field or green may be used, depending on the sport
and the continent.
The term "lawn", referring to a managed grass space, dates to no earlier than the 16th century.
Tied to suburban expansion and the creation of the household aesthetic, the lawn is an important
aspect of the interaction between the natural environment and the constructed urban and
suburban space.[2] In many suburban areas, there are bylaws in place requiring houses to have
lawns and requiring the proper maintenance of these lawns. In some jurisdictions where there
are water shortages, local government authorities are encouraging alternatives to lawns to
reduce water use.