All we need now to cover all the bases is a rent a my wife for the evening sorta site.
Edit: I love the comment by DoJo* there, very germane: "We're all clear, right, that there is no possible world in which this does not lead to someone advertising a bathroom and then filling it with 63 hidden webcams and selling the videos on the internet? We all aknowledge that it would be impossible for that NOT to happen, right?"
It's a very British (or perhaps European) thing to reserve someone's garden and pay money for it too.. Camping in someone's garden is great fun if it happens randomly and spontaneously but I wouldn't plan it for the world.
I'm pretty sure he means when you just go round ringing people's doorbells and asking them if you can put up your tent in their garden for a night.
The few times I've done this the people who allowed me to use their garden turned out to be incredibly generous as well. Inviting you to dinner, giving you candy, soda etc...
I don't think either that it would be equally as fun if it weren't spontaneous.
All mocking aside, I've had this idea before. We've "car camped" around the U.S. when we were young and broke. I love the idea of having more choices and possibly cheaper campsites. But there's no way that this makes any financial sense for the property owner, especially here in the U.S. Liability concerns, bathroom issues, housing codes / deed restrictions / local laws, etc. all come up and it's hard to justify more than $20 / night. The only way it makes sense is as semi-charity or maybe for special events.
The site design is hideous and should've made a better attempt at mating Gowala with AirBnb, but I love the idea. I walked across a chunk of Europe a couple of years ago and made good with hostels and such, but many times would've just preferred to pitch a tent overnight and be on my way the next morning. That being said, I'm a quiet, respectful person. Can't wait to read about all-night raves and tweakers gone berserk out in the shed.