lawn

Fine-textured expanse of grass that is kept mowed. A common landscape design element of Western-style gardens and parks, lawns aid in giving a sense of scale and proportion. Made popular in the 18th century by Capability Brown, the lawn is the antithesis of the French parterre. In the 20th century the lawn became a ubiquitous feature of the gardens of U.S. single-family detached houses, serving to denote ownership and provide a buffer zone between street and private space.