In gardens across Britain the grass has stopped growing. 【小题1】 In fact, they are greener and tidier than before. That is because the lawns are actually artificial made from plastic.

【小题2】 Country estates（地产）have long competed to have the most perfectly cut grassland. “What you’re saying in big loud capital letters, is ‘I’m so wealthy’,” says Fiona Davison of the Royal horticultural Society（RHS）, a society for eco-gardeners. With the coming of the grass-cutting machines, in 1830, the middle classes joined the fun.

But now Britons have fallen in love with artificial grass. Evergreens UK, which sells the stuff, says it has seen a 120% rise in sales since 2015. Grass Direct reports they are up by 50% this year. 【小题3】 These match different regions: Scottish turf（草皮）is darker than Cornish turf.

Artificial grass is popular with families who have children or dogs and don’t want mud pulled behind through their houses. It has an attractive factor, too. Andy Driver of Evergreens UK says people now see gardens as “outside rooms,”-pairing carpets of artificial grass with comfortable seating.

Not everyone is a fan. 【小题4】 A study finds earthworms（蚯蚓）gain 14% less body weight when operating under artificial grass. That might not be a problem for its fans, as worm holes are a regular headache, but it upsets green types. Extinction Rebellion dug up artificial grass outside a church in Harrogate in protest.

Three protestors have tried to stop artificial grass spreading. 【小题5】 The RHS is concerned about artificial grass, but prefers persuasion to law-making.