Although I love working with real grass and am very much an environmentalist, there are many situations where an artificial lawn would not be out of place, and in fact would be an ideal replacement for the real thing. They also compete very favourably on costings, in fact usually giving substantial savings in the long term.

A situation that certainly fits the bill is a family with a smallish lawn and young kids who are keen to get out there playing in the fresh air. Artificial turf will withstand all the wear and tear from feet, bikes and toys, while at the same time remaining clean and fresh looking at all times. Areas on a lawn that are prone to severe wear, such as barbecue (it’s fire and stain resistant) and garden furniture stands, can have artificial turf fitted allowing family and friends to enjoy the garden without worrying about dirty footwear. Even better, there is no need to worry about pets killing the grass with urine as astroturf is stain resistant and easily cleaned. Another situation that would be very suitable for installing artificial grass would be on a lawn that is heavily shaded or has bad drainage leading to very poor grass cover.

There are many different grades of artificial turf available allowing the lawn owner to choose the one that is best suited to how it is going to be used, from a soft lush 40 mil pile length ideal for the luxury look and feel, through a 24 mil pile ideal for play and multi-use areas, to a 13 mil pile which makes a superb putting, bowling or croquet lawn.

The grades can be mixed and joined together to give the appearance of a natural lawn being cut at different heights so can be designed very easily to suit the needs of the whole family.

Keep an eye on the site – I’m currently writing a rundown on the types of artificial grass available and their suitability for different uses, along with a explanation of how they are installed. See you then!

Duncan