Puns make me laugh … and living in Canberra, as I do, I’m regularly confronted by them. How, do you ask? Well, via a local lawn/turf business called Canturf, a family business which started in 1966. They have, for many years now, been promoting their product – even, and it must have been hard, throughout our recent long drought that saw stringent water restrictions result in many a dead lawn – through signs based on puns.
The puns keep changing, so much so that I have often wondered whether they can keep it up, but it seems they can. Do they have a wonderful ad agency? Or is it their own staff? The answer is on the FAQ page. The answer to “Who thinks of your funny signs?” is: “You do. If you come up with an original saying and think it would be a good Canturf sign, send it in to us via email or fax along with your contact details. If your idea is original and gets used you will be paid $250 for your efforts.” Now, there’s a challenge!
Anyhow, today, as we were driving into the country for our annual Easter Sunday lunch, we saw a couple of their latest:
- It’s been nice mowing you
and
- It’s a lawn way to the top if you want a grassy knoll.
Honestly! How can you drive past signs like that and not smile. (You certainly don’t forget the name of the company behind them!)
Previous signs have included:
- Looks good mown eh Lisa
- Lawngerie modelled here
- We’re easy to get a lawn with
- Fifty shades of green
- It’s sexy and you grow it
- It’s greener than brown
This last is a political pun probably only understood by Aussies. It’s a little daring for a business to use but I suppose it can be read in multiple ways. And, anyhow, this is Canberra, and we have a reputation for being Green.
I’m sorry that I haven’t photographed these signs but, you know, we’ve always been going places at the time …
And, since we are talking about puns, I’d like to give a plug here for a young ensemble I heard this weekend at the National Folk Festival. Calling themselves the Miss Chiefs they admitted loving puns. Their name, they said, gives it away. Just one year old, this group first performed at the 2012 festival’s Infinite Song Contest for which performers present their version of a song relating to the year’s contest theme. Last year’s theme was Leonard Cohen, and the just-formed trio performed “Hallelujah”. Here is a You Tube recording of that event:
The lead singer, Vendulka Wichta is 14 (at the time of the recording!), and she’s accompanied by Laura Zarb (24) and Amelia Gibson (17). From what I saw this year, one year on from the above performance, the Miss Chiefs is a group to watch.
Whispering Gums 
As a huge fan of Leonard Cohen – one of the greatest thinkers, poets and songwriters of our time IMO – I enjoyed the Miss Chiefs rendition of “Hallelujah”. I’m sure Mr Cohen would have liked it too.
And as for the puns; it’s hard to beat ‘Looks good mown eh Lisa’. LOL.
Thanks Karen Lee … I thought they did a great job particularly given they’d just met. This year’s theme was the Bee Gees and they did a zombie version of Staying Alive. I think you can find it on You Tube but it’s not a great video. And yes, I love the Mona Lisa one too. They have several signs around the place … I’m cross with myself that I haven’t written them down as I’ve seen them.
Absolutely hilarious! Who would have guessed that there is so much “poetry” to find in the grass business! Brilliant – thank you!!
Glad you liked it Regula … it suddenly occurred to me that Canturf would make a good post.
“It’s been nice mowing you”! Ha! That is a new one. I’m glad they’re updating them.
I must admit, I’ve been getting a little tired of the seemingly endless covers of Hallelujah these days, but this is an absolutely beautiful rendition. It can stay. I like it. 🙂
P.S. Even though I haven’t been in a good few years, I missed the Folk Festival this year. xo
I agree re Hallelujah … it can be overdone, but Im glad you also liked the Miss Chiefs’ rendition. And glad you liked the puns. I love the way they make me smile – and the fact that they keep changing.
Those are some fun puns! And what a clever way to get people to help them advertise. I am sure paying people for good puns is lots cheaper than hiring an agency, plus, who are you going to call if you need lawn service and they bought your pun?
Hmmm … my reply to this disappeared … I like your thinking Stefanie. You should be in business!
We are big on puns in this house – I mean my house of origin! My Aussie-Italo-Ghanaian kids just roll their eyes but I adore them! Now let me think of one..
I’m waiting Catherine. I thought of one “It’s lawnly here at the top”. Hmmm … I reckon you could do better than that. You can see why I’m not the writer. My kids are much better at puns …