The drought is turning the tide on the humble put-down: ‘It’s like watching grass grow’. These days most of us do like watching grass grow, instead of bleaching brown and shrinking back into the dirt. Many more forty-degree rainless days could relegate the high-pitched errrrr of lawnmowers on Sunday as a sound of the past – going the same way as the chuck-chuck of sprinklers. And we can forget about the recurrence of events like the MCC’s grassing of Swanston Street in 1985 to promote its transformation into a car-free road.

Melbourne’s lawns have never needed us more. Get down to grass-roots level: breathe in its distinctive bouquet and lie on it long enough to watch it grow – or at least leave its imprint in your skin. And say a little prayer for our Trugo and bowls players who need their greens.

(Simone)