You might have thought the lawn mower was invented simply to cut the grass, but it was realised very early on - in 1830 in fact - that it was a useful way to get a sedentary gentleman to do some exercise.
172 years later, on any given Sunday afternoon you will find scores of men out with their mowers. There are clubs dedicated to collecting antiques, there's a lawnmower racing association and the world's only museum on the subject is in Southport. Among it's prize exhibits is a solar powered mower whose prototype cost a million pounds.
As the gardening season gets into full swing Jane Shepherd tried to answer that most complex of questions.....what is it with men and their lawns?
