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?

Fake anything is tacky.

But if it's practical and works for you then it's fine, imo.

Sorry about the number of 'thoughs' in my comment - I was trying to sit on the (plastic) fence (avoiding splinters)

Fake grass is wrong on so many levels. It's a bit embarrassing and I despair a little about the human race when we feel the need to carpet outdoors. It's all a little bit like the lorax.

I can see why people think it's naff but I can also see why people have it.

What I am fed up of is every fucker feeling the need to give their opinion without being asked.
SIL spent a good 15 minutes yesterday telling me how our family holiday was not a proper holiday to her and I felt pretty shit about it by the time she had finished.

we've got it and I love it. We have a tiny back garden in our new build and the quality of the grass was appalling. if we had a lovely established garden then I certainly wouldn't rip the grass up to fake turf it, but in our circs it definitely makes sense. Our neighbours have returfed their garden three times in 18 months. Who has time for that?!

I have it and love it.

I do miss the smell of freshly cut grass but have found I can still enjoy it when my neighbours cut theirs!

It means the kids can run about in our teeny garden and on and out of the house, without making a muddy mess. The fake grass seems to dry out quicker than real grass too, so you can sit on it more often.

Some of these snobby responses are tacky.

I think the GP was implying you're rich, got money to burn OP.

And to those complaining that fake grass is "tacky", did you miss the bit where OP said her kid had eczema and what the potential triggers are?

Would you rather she sacrified her child's well being for a tack-free lawn?

I'm with the doctor on this. But each to their own, I'm sure I have stuff other people think is tacky.

We are considering it. It's a small north facing garden and to be honest neither of us fancies the hassle of establishing or maintaining a lawn. I just want a garden we and the kids can enjoy on the rare sunny weekends. But part of me cringes at the idea. Plus, there is something about freshly cut grass...

Some of these snobby responses are tacky.
The op has asked for opinions.

I would never say to someone in real life that I think their fake lawn is tacky and bad for the environment but on an anonymous thread where the op has specifically asked the question? I don't think it's unreasonable to say "yes, I don't like it".

Not personally keen but can understand it for small areas it would be hard to keep mown. I assume water can seep through in which case it is better environmentally (as well as visually) than paving over entirely though - something I saw a lot if when househunting. Strange choice for Rooney if true given he can afford a gardener - sick of grass in his day job I guess...

We've tried for many years to have a lawn in our tiny back garden.

Its impossible. It has just ended up as a muddy mess every year. We can't mow it as the lawn is just so tiny. We have reseeded it repeatedly. It still happens. Its just horrid.

So we have just put down a carpet. Does it look tacky? I'm not really bothered. It looks better than what was there before, which looked unkempt.

Its toddler friendly. Unlike gravel and paving stones. We don't like decking. Therefore, carpet it is.

We are planning to get some potted plants instead.

As for bad for wildlife. Given where we live on our estate and just how bad our garden is, its not really an issue. It is allowing us to have more green.

I do think for a bigger garden its not really the best thing. But for something half the size of a bedroom that's not maintained otherwise or would be probably be paved over otherwise?

It is maybe a bit different if you are decking out something different but the alternative options all involved the natural lawn going.

OP on the allergy triggers do push for proper tests if the eczema is serious - even pollen allergies for e.g can be tree pollen rather than grass so the lawn replacement could be futile.

Dizzy..i now have an image of you hovering the grass. 😊 If you do go with the fake grass maybe get an cheap outside hover and keep it in the shed.

Oh we've returfed it twice too.

Thats great thanks.

We had a 3 meter square patch when we lived in London. It's great quality these days not like a nasty fake carpet. I looked completely real and stunning, would do it again but not for big patches and not in the burbs where we are a bit more rustic

It's certainly preferable to paving over the lot, which causes huge problems with drainage.

I've seen it look very good indeed, albeit in small gardens. I don't think a large lawn of it would look as good (also ££££).

I don't like it but each to their own. Wasn't the Wayne Rooney jibe referring to his hair transplant?

Just because someone else does not like something it does not make it naff or tacky

We've considered it as the dog has ruined our grass but they have it at nursery and it gets so hot underfoot. Is this something that happens to yours op?

We have it and it is fantastic.

The children can roll around on it with no grass stained trousers, or muddy knees.

It needs a quick brush to get the fallen leaves off, you weedkill it 3 - 4 times a year and there is no other maintenance.

I can also now be in the back garden with the children without my eyes swelling shut. I can eat out there.

And considering the price per metre of the stuff it is expensive.

I have had lots of people admire it and also go down the same route.

We live in Yorkshire so have twice the amount of rain as London. The grass dries really quickly unlike a real lawn so the children can play out more because we have artificial grass.

Yes frenchfoodie is right, eczema can be triggered by ANY pollen (or cat fur, dust etc.) not just grass. YABU op. I agree with the doctor.

You can put down camomile or other harder wearing 'green' plants that look like grass , I just don't get this obsession with fucking perfect lawns, anyway. the insects suffer from all the spraying etc. what's wrong with a bit of nature?

Yes,think doctor was just making a light hearted comment, fake like Rooney's hair.