one of the major challenges to the public acceptance of xeriscaping is the cultural attachment to turf grass lawns. originally implemented in england, lawns have become in some regions a symbol of prosperity, order and community. in the united states turf grasses are so common that it is the single most irrigated crop by surface area, covering nearly . despite the high water, fertiliser and maintenance costs associated with lawns, they have become the social norm in most urban and suburban areas, even if they are rarely used for recreational purposes or otherwise. xeriscaped landscapes offer an alternative to the over use of turf grass lawns but are not widely accepted because of preconceived notions of what it means to xeriscape. xeriscaping can include lawn areas but seeks to reduce them to areas that will actually be used, rather than using them as a default landscaping plan.