What is an unmown lawn called?
To me "a lawn" conjures up an image of something well-kept, mowed green grass and flowers. So I've been thinking if a person doesn't care for the space in front of his house and lets it run wild, with weeds all over the place and some random grass patches here and there, will that still be a lawn? Or is there any special word to call it?
Unkempt lawn is the right term.
One of the definitions of unkempt is:
- uncared-for or neglected; disheveled; messy: unkempt clothes; an unkempt lawn.
Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/unkempt
overgrown –Google
covered with plants that have been allowed to grow wild. "The garden was overgrown and deserted."
Reddit: Overgrown Railroad Tracks
Unmaintained Property in Chicago
The council passed, without dissent, an ordinance stiffening penalties for owners of any property where city workers have to cut overgrown lawns or remove junk. Officials have said it will be used mostly to target vacant lots and foreclosed buildings that are proliferating around the city. –chicago.everyblock.com
IIRC, Chicago's "legal" definition of overgrown lawn is when the grass is taller than 18 inches.