To think fake grass is not tacky

[Dizzydodo]

At the Doctors with dd about eczema, GP says it can be triggered by pollen, grass seed etc and asks if she's been in the garden a lot with the nice weather. I say 'yes but we've got fake grass'. GP rolls his eyes, laughs and says 'fake grass?! Like Wayne Rooney? Goodness me!'

I have no idea if Wayne Rooney has fake grass or not and I'm not in the least bit offended by the GP (I think he was trying to be funny) but it got me thinking....does fake grass in my garden make me a wannabe WAG?

sparechange I include the concrete drives in my accusations see upthread.

Sparechange I entirely include people who pave their driveways in that sentiment. I walk down the road tutting. The first time I saw fake grass I couldn't believe someone would genuinely do that to their garden and had to touch it to make sure.

Obviously it doesn't matter because it's only their garden though so hardly making any difference at all.

I wonder how much potential grass space the houses of those against all fake grass take up. I bet in some cases it is more than my 2 bedroomed terrace plus 20 Sq m of fake grass to give my disabled child access to a safe outdoor space, take up.

Did it have mirrored walls? Good god. I missed that. Is it some kind of porn palace? Perhaps that's why they need a wipe clean garden.

I don't like it. Or fake flowers in the house. Pottering around my garden is one of my joys though.

honking so we shouldn't live in houses if we like grass?!

sparechange I think you're confusing 'expensive' with 'tasteful' in the case of those plastic gardens in London. But I'm with you on thd metal 'live love laugh' type nonsense. And I have NEVER needed an illuminated faux-industrial metal sign to tell me to EAT!

I'm not sure fake grass would work well in a porn palace. On the one hand it's scrubbable but I suspect you'd get terrible friction burns if you got down to any naked business on said lawn!

Ouch. Rubber grass carpet burns

We all make environmentally unfriendly choices. Those people who have had more than one child have also made a more environmentally unfriendly choice than me. Yet people are being judged on one thing because those doing the judging don't consider it important.

I understand people saying it's tacky because a lot of us are conditioned to assume fake = tacky. But really it's just another covering fir a garden. If it was flagstones /paving or decking then no one would be snobbish about it.

Which brings me to another point, all those saying it's bad for wildlife, not natural etc. Do you all have totally wild gardens with no paving/decking or modified areas? Because unless you all have natural meadow and don't ever "garden" then it's a bit hypocritical.

I was once in a house where they'd covered the entire garden in decking. Was so bizarre.

I think it's fine for the back garden but on the odd occasion I've seen it on the front it looks very odd indeed.

I don't like it, it looks fake, and it can get really hot in the sun ( discovered that in Vegas) so not lovely and cool under foot like the real thing, fine for some situations, ie a small patch in a courtyard garden with limited space for a lawnmower and poor light, also great for elderly people. I don't think it's wag ish, if anything a bit naff, I can't think anyone with mega money would lay it as if you have big money you'd just have a 'man that does' and have a stunning real lawn

Well dizzy I have a large totally organic garden in which I'm planting lots of extra trees, hedges and encouraging birds and insects with saved rain water. There was a 'terrace' here already. Removing it would be expensive and a waste of power.

In Fr. they have banned nicotinoid sprays and there are many more wildflowers and birds now. Yes the plastic grass could be used to clear weeds like people use old carpet, I prefer to pull up the 'plants' that are in the wrong place.

honking you're right to say that most people make some choices which harm the environment. I'm guessing that is the point you were making with the comment about the house footprint vs a small area of plastic grass. But we do have to be realistic and weigh up cost vs benefit, don't we? Most people would be prepared to accept that, for instance, a car which is used mindfully and moderately can be far more essential to someone than a plastic lawn. I have heard what you say about your child and their disability and I understand that for you that's a suitable justification. I'm sure plenty would agree with you and obviously there are others who would not. But it does seem silly to think that because it is extremely difficult to live without having any adverse effect whatsoever on the environment, that we shouldn't make any effort to limit our negative impact, or that everythinv and anything can be justified simply because it's convenient or because we really, really like it. We can't compare apples and oranges here.

ppeat your garden sounds absolutely fabulous, by the way!

dizzy yes my garden is entirely wild, as is most of the rest of my land. No patios, no decks, no conservatories, pools, plastic grass, chemicals. I will concede that we inherited a concrete path which the brambles and dandelions are doing a fine job of destroying.

I agree that we all have to consider any negative impact we may have on the environment.

I used to think it's tacky, but I am now reformed. We are hoping to do a small piece under our new climbing frame to soften the fall (with sand/ shock pads under fake grass) for DDs. I am blown away by the 'realness' of the good quality artificial grass. I have samples and they do look & feel like the real thing (well, very nearly). I think if it serves a good purpose, why not? But I've seen some terrible quality too, and makes me want to look away. Guess quality makes all the difference here.

I think the fake grass looks amazing on small terraces and balconys :-) Also good for small hard to mow paces.

Have been hacing an argument wiht DP for about 2 years over putting fake grass on our balcony - I want to he thinks it looks silly.

Artist I doubt quality makes much difference to how bad it is for the planet though

Fake grass on a balcony? That does seem very strange to me. Surely no matter how high the quality it can only look very fake on a balcony? I've never seen it though.

ppeatfruit and MumOnACornishFarm your gardens sound lovely. They wouldn't suit the OP as her child's alergies would prevent her from enjoying them.
Most fake grass is in small scale city gardens rather than land or karge country gardens though. Anyone wanting to fake grass a farm would be crazy

I live in a new build estate village. As most of the houses have just a tiny patch of grass either side of their front doors at most, many have replaced it with fake stuff.

I think it makes their garden look like a pretend garden display in a B&Q store. Especially when they've also opted for the plastic, hanging topiary balls.

Lol at fake grassing a farm. Holy crap I'd have to win the lottery! I didn't realise just how expensive it is, especially the more realistic stuff, before seeing this thread.