After receiving ugly lawn entries from around the world, the international jury has now crowned The World’s Ugliest Lawn.
A New Zealand garden has proudly accepted the first prize in this global competition that is designed to promote water conservation. This year, the sun-scorched patch of lawn near Christchurch has been crowned the ugliest lawn in the world.
Now in its second year, the World’s Ugliest Lawn competition - a tongue-in-cheek contest with a serious purpose - rewards lawn owners for not watering their parched yellow grass and patchy flowerbeds.
“I live in a small coastal community,” winner Leisa Elliott said. “Our drinking water is pumped from a well in nearby Kaitorete Spit. In my mind, drinking water is drinking water, not watering-the-lawn water.” Adding: “Mother Nature does the watering here. When the rain comes, the transformation is stunning. An oasis after a desert is a sight to behold.”
The contest began in the Swedish municipality of Gotland as a stunt to promote water conservation on the island, reports The Guardian. An irrigation ban in 2022 due to water shortages led to a competition between residents, which quickly gained global recognition.
The jury, composed of Gotland residents, voted unanimously for Elliott’s lawn after an hour-long deliberation. “Her lawn may not win beauty contests, but it wins hearts for its message of sustainability and adaptability,” they said.
Mimmi Gibson, the brand director at tourism agency Region Gotland, who helps organise the contest, said competition for the title was fierce. “I mean, they’re all so bad,” she said. “They’re so terrible.”
If you would like to take at the fabulously hideous winning lawn from last year, please click here.