We've just had a plastic lawn put in. AMA

[Imdunfer]

As title.

If you're going to raise climate issues please make sure you have your facts right before you post. There is a lot of incorrect PR and social media comment about plastic turf going around at the moment.

Some more reading for you OP
projects.propublica.org/why-carbon-capture-cant-solve-climate-change/

Given what I've watched and continue to watch in this town in the last 4 years, which is being replicated in towns all over the country, no I am not very exercised about my tiny, tiny impact. I'm sorry if that offends you.

When it is mandated that all new builds are blocks of flats to minimise loss of ground, or even that all 3 bed and above are 3 stories for the same reason, then maybe I'll think again.

Nobody said it would, it's a multi factorial thing.

What is the interior of your house like?
Do you have a style of home decor that you like?

I don't think I would put in artificial grass anywhere with a heavy deciduous leaf fall, but then that was very high up on my list of things to avoid when I chose the house.

I am finding it pretty hilarious to be lectured on climate change by people who use leaf blowers. I would ban them straight after banning patio heaters.

I do hope this is not fishing for more reasons to be snotty with OP!

I just love to know how other people live. I’m curious to know what style choices someone with fake grass makes.
It is AMA after all..

Sorry? WTF has that got to do with this thread 🤷🤷🤷?

Just under £3000 Bunny lake, and it's not a huge lawn ... though that did include absolutely everything from disposal of the old turf to several top dressings on the new

Just hoping the ants get some sense of decorum and leave it alone now. I did stand out there explaining it to them, but I don't think it went in frankly

I don't think I would put in artificial grass anywhere with a heavy deciduous leaf fall, but then that was very high up on my list of things to avoid when I chose the house

Edited to add it's even worse if there's a blossom tree, @Imdunfer. There's a gorgeous ornamental cherry at my son's place, and though it's a magnificent sight in the spring the "lawn" gets hit twice with the blooms and then the leaves

It’s AMA!
It stands ‘for ask me anything’
I could ask where you go on holiday if I wanted - you don’t have to answer.

OK, thanks, I won't. I love my decor but unlike many in this social media influencer age, I don't need anyone else's approval to love it.

It is very unusual that you don't know what product you even bought, given it is such extremely high quality and therefore (one assumes) correspondingly costly, but ok.

Perhaps you can share the installer name/url instead then. They must have a website where we can see what they supply and how it is so extraordinarily amazing yet quite mysteriously nobody else uses it.

Or are they and their products classified information as well?

EDIT: Also be keen to see the second company as well. The "even better" one.

I can see it could get someone like this.

For me though, and I know many people who feel the same, the general disregard for nature when it comes to planning, building and lawmaking makes me even more keen to do my bit in my little patch of the world.

It was the destruction of the natural world and the shocking impact on our wildlife that inspired me to be a gardener for nature, to be organic, create a wild space that provided habitat and food for wildlife and pollinators.

Loads of us in our town started a wildlife garden, litter picking group, Hedgehog Street, won the council over to No Mow May. Honestly, the impact on wildlife and the look of the town has been amazing. Anti-social behaviour is down and there's a real community spirit. We have seed swaps, we've put up bat and bird boxes in the church yard - I just watched blackbirds fledging in there.

We have a food garden where people can take herbs, veg and fruit if they are in need and next week there's a Best Front Garden show.

I know you love it OP, but we don't have to cave in to fake grass just because Persimmon build new houses. Leaflet those 2000 houses and get a wildfront garden scheme and a make an orchard around the playground group. Those houses will look amazing and be better places to live for it. If other schemes are anything to go by house prices will go up too.

We don't have to roll over to the enshittification of our world.

They are a pair of local young men who I found from a very small presence on the internet. They were just completing an installation at a local state primary school that we were able to view. They had a wait list, they were in demand. They gave us samples to choose from. I am not remotely interested in the name of the supplier of the grass. I chose the product in my hands. I don't know or care about the company that supplied my carpets either. Their price was extremely competitive, only 66% of a big name company I also got a quote from. They have done a very high quality and extremely attractive job on a very unpromising little garden, where the lawn was about half the task. We are thrilled with the quality of their work, it has utterly transformed an unpromising little back garden.

Please stop with the sarcasm.

I don't think I would put in artificial grass anywhere with a heavy deciduous leaf fall.

Just for anyone considering plastic grass - evergreen trees are just as much a problem as deciduous trees. They shed their leaves too just not all at once. My holly drops all year and don't get me started on pine needles or the seeds from Scots pines. I have spent a very hard day picking out baby fir trees that had seeded in the excellent growing medium created in someone's plastic grass by falling pine needles.

Then it was obviously not good quality and not properly installed.

I do understand what you are saying but I litter pick both by myself and with a volunteer group. The open areas of all the new estates have wild flower meadows and ponds mandated by planners (ours has just been replanted because the contractor mistakenly mowed it!). The planners have done their absolute best given the level of housing needed. There have been 2000+ houses built in the last 5 years on productive farm land that was being used to breed or feed livestock when we moved here. And I am talking about a completely enclosed back garden. All the frontages were planted up beautifully by the developer, as were all the other front gardens in the wider area.

I haven't "caved in" to fake grass, we made an active choice that it was the best solution for our situation for many reasons.

Have you ever smelt fox poo before? It’s very different

Very good point but thankfully we don't have those either. 3 walls and a fence, thankfully.

You will probably have problems when you come to sell I’m guessing not many people would want fake grass so would be a total ball ache removing it. Have you thought about that OP? Do you have plastic flowers as well or do you plant real flowers?

Classic 'whataboutery'

We've never had fox poo in the garden and I can't think of any reason why there would be any now especially now we have fake grass. We leave nothing they can eat and the access is very limited.

I haven't "caved in" to fake grass, we made an active choice that it was the best solution for our situation for many reasons.

Can't say fairer than that. I'm sure you can see why some people object to fake grass in general though on lots of different levels.

Great job with the litter picking. It's an bloody nightmare isn't it. One thing's for sure - there's never going to be a shortage of litter picking opportunities out there 😀

I'm off now, but thanks for giving us a chance to talk about fake grass from both viewpoints.

How big is it and how much was it please?

Thank you for a civilised discussion.