Q 01/05

The first lawn mower, patented in England in 1830, was adapted from a mill machine that trimmed what?

A) Leather hides

B) Woolen cloth

C) Wallpaper rolls

D) Sheet copper

Answer · why

B) Woolen cloth

Woolen cloth was shaved smooth by a bladed cylinder in a Gloucestershire mill, and engineer Edwin Budding saw the same reel could cut grass better tha...

Q 02/05

George Ballas of Houston invented which landscaping tool after watching the spinning brushes of an automatic car wash?

A) Leaf blower

B) Hedge trimmer

C) Pressure washer

D) String trimmer

Answer · why

D) String trimmer

String trimmer number one was heavy-duty fishing line fixed to a tin can bolted to an edger, and Ballas sold the idea as the Weed Eater.

Q 03/05

Which lawn ornaments did Sir Charles Isham bring from Germany in 1847 to decorate the grounds of Lamport Hall?

A) Garden gnomes

B) Stone lanterns

C) Gazing balls

D) Bronze sundials

Answer · why

A) Garden gnomes

Garden gnomes reached Britain as 21 terracotta figures made by Philip Griebel, and the lone survivor, nicknamed Lampy, is insured for £1 million.

Q 04/05

During World War I, which animals grazed the White House lawn so that no workers were needed for mowing?

A) Goats

B) Sheep

C) Dairy cows

D) Ponies

Answer · why

B) Sheep

Sheep kept the grass short for First Lady Edith Wilson, who had their wool auctioned to raise money for the American Red Cross.

Q 05/05

Which popular lawn grass is native to nearly all of Europe and northern Asia, though its name points to America?

A) Buffalo grass

B) Bahia grass

C) St. Augustine grass

D) Kentucky bluegrass

Answer · why

D) Kentucky bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass may have reached the New World in Spanish seed mixes, though botanists still disagree over whether it also grew wild in North Ameri...