Screen shots of “CBS Sunday Morning.”
Last week “CBS Sunday Morning” aired a story about how the pandemic changed us, making us realize we liked being outdoors, even when it was safe to go back inside. The story is “Since the pandemic, outdoor living continues to thrive.”
But sadly, to plant-lovers like me, these are the designs for outdoor living that we’re shown as examples – back yards of billionaires, with nary a plant in sight.
(Okay, I’m assuming that only billionaires can afford these designs, so fact-checkers, substitute “multi-millionaires” if you feel the need. But we did hear the designer brag that he was doing a $4-5 million project in Florida. )
Screen shots of “CBS Sunday Morning.”
Yeah, they’re painful to look at. Obviously the designer whose works we’re shown isn’t into plants, at all, which makes me wonder why he was chosen to showcase and promote.
But then at the end of the story we hear the editor of House Beautiful Magazine say that “Dressed-up outdoor spaces aren’t just a privilege for the rich. It’s for every budget and every size space. A bunch of string lights looks just as elegant in a tiny back yard as it does in big expansive one.”
She goes on, “Doctors have been saying for centuries about being in touch with nature and how important it is for your soul. The more we can live out here, maybe the happier we’ll be.”
So good for her but to the producers of this segment: Could you have mentioned or shown viewers – oh, I don’t know – the benefits of being around plants? Or butterflies? Or anything more natural than fire pits, bars and swimming pools?
Loved the Leis, though!
Screen shots of “CBS Sunday Morning.”
That story was a big old missed opportunity but there was one redeeming story in the episode – “The ancient art of Hawaiian lei-making.”
And blessedly, every episode of the show ends with a beautiful, inspiring video of nature somewhere. This time it’s black-bellied whistling ducks in New Orleans. There’s never any narration or background music, so we just hear the sounds of nature.
(FWIW, I’ve loved “CBS Sunday Morning” since its debut in 1979, and not just because it showcased author and GardenRant co-founder Amy Stewart twice (here, and here), and even yours truly once, as a gardening coach).
Totally agree. Why someone would want to turn their backyard into a concrete jungle is beyond me, but to each his own.
never heard of the show, maybe because i don’t own a TV–spend all my free time in my flower beds (literally) which is how i get chiggers.
Susan, thanks for this great rant! When CBS Sunday morning promoted the terrible Scott’s Miracle Grow as the ideal solution for lawns a few years ago, I became suspicious. Way too often their show is just a hidden advertisement for people and products. It’s totally annoying to realize that my once beloved show has turned into a mostly commercial vehicle; I have stopped watching it. Looking at the images in your article, I assume some nice money came in from some high-end outdoor design companies.
And when do we finally stop the nonsense of putting lights into our gardens at night?! It irritates the insects and confuses their breeding cycles. As cute as the string lights might look (do they?), they are harmful to the pollinators in your garden.
Glad we have you guys at Garden Rant to carry the message and keep the conversation going.
Total miss!
I just cannot identify with backyards like this. (Excuse me; “outdoor living spaces.”) And I am confident that even if I could afford any of these looks, I still wouldn’t want any of it. Give me a cottage garden any day.
I see this trend in the suburbs of Tucson among people who are upper middle-class, but definitely not wealthy. I live in a new development. Our backyards were blank slates. Almost everyone put in pavers, a patch of fake grass, and called it a day. Then predictably, their yard is an oven where even fake grass melts. (Yes, it really does, especially from the heat that bounces off their windows.) The few people that have actually planted gardens are generally older like myself. It seems the younger people don’t want the bother of plants. I despair because it’s their children that will really suffer from climate change.
This is frustrating and I’ve been coming up against it in my other world as a freelance writer in terms of what is desired and what editors think sells (or at least garners clicks and eyeballs). It’s all commodity driven – what can be purchased vs. the process of experience. It’s not even aimed towards consumer-gardeners, it’s just aimed at consumers.
“Outdoor Living” is code for moving your living room/kitchen outside and building a pool. It is technically outdoor living, what it is not, is a garden life. Glad you Ranted on this one Susan. –MW
Really insightful piece — it’s disheartening to see how many ultra-luxury outdoor spaces prioritize hardscapes and man-made features over natural elements. As a landscaping professional, we’ve noticed that integrating native plants and biodiversity into high-end designs actually enhances both beauty and sustainability. A garden should feel alive, not just curated. Thank you for shedding light on this growing issue!
Totally agree and whilst we do see this occassionally in the UK (mainly in very urban areas) the vast majority of our customers (we do have the odd multi-millionaire) appreciate the value of plants and nature in their outdoor spaces and design accordingly. It’s totally possible to have all the pools/kitchens/tennis courts you want AND have a garden. After all you’re going to have maintenance needs so why not add a gardener too?
These soulless spaces make me retch.