Considering an artificial lawn, thoughts?

[AnxiousPixie]

We have fought with our lawn for years. It's always wet and boggy and covered in more moss than grass. I even invested a couple of years ago to have it all ripped up, a good drainage layer put down and new turf. After two years and most of that maintenance being done by a Gardener we are back to square one.

So I am looking at artificial grass.

Looking after lawn tips are welcome but looking specifically for any advice/pros/cons of artificial lawns please!

Thanks!

They are vile ecological disasters.

If your garden doesn’t work with a lawn due to the conditions, I’d landscape it instead with appropriate plants (shrubs, trees, whatever works in the space with aspect and soil type). That’ll help with the moisture too.

So dated

Oh please don't, they're so bad for the environment and they look horrible.

Love ours! It's stays wet for about 30 minutes after a soy pour so no more mud in the house. It's easily cleaned brushed and hovered very low maintenance.
Does get hot in the summer though and has to be disinfected to keep it fresh.
I get why people don't like it but it works for us as a family and we have still have lots of trees and planters around.

*Down pour

Don't do it. Aesthetically they look horrible, ecologically they are a disaster.

Bad for the environment (a layer of plastic, what do you do with it when it’s worn out?)

We have it in the front garden because it was here when we moved in. It’s mossy. So not going to solve that problem for you unfortunately.

I'm a gardener by trade, I wouldn't recommend a fake lawn because they get so warm and gross in the summer. They are also not good for the environment.

If you can I would have a mixture of hard landscaping like pavers and gravel inter planted with shrubs and lovely plants like camomile and creeping thyme, grasses etc

That would look a lot better than a fake lawn

I just can't get my head round the idea that some people want to be able to hoover their grass. It's one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard.

Is that how much we've sanitised nature?!?!

My parents did both gardens with this a couple of years ago- for very practical/health reasons.
Was dubious myself before it was done but actually it looks great. I now maintain it, keeping it clean really is very quick and simple. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a low maintenance alternative to the real thing.

@Yumperwumpee

I just can't get my head round the idea that some people want to be able to hoover their grass. It's one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard.

Is that how much we've sanitised nature?!?!

It's really bizarre doing it, but so much easier to clean it

Grass is home to so many insects and micro organisms supporting biodiversity in birds, insects and small mammals. I cannot understand why people would even consider putting manufactured plastic in its place which does NOTHING to help nature and will eventually end up at a tip where it will take a bajilion years to break down.

Put in a pond and do your bit for nature!

I've never seen one that looks natural. Our neighbour has one at the front and it sticks out like a sore thumb among all the natural ones. It does make me laugh when he's out there hoovering it though!

A disaster for wildlife. Please don't :(

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/03/blade-runners-the-joy-of-moss-lawns

Make a moss lawn. So much better for the environment.

It's not like grass and plastic grass are the only options. Life beyond lawns!

Not just hoovered, disinfected @Yumperwumpee. That’s great when it drains off and runs into the surrounding environment

Would so much rather you didn't. Would another surface work - bark chippings for kids to play on? also drains well. Stepping stones through the lawn? Grow veg in some bits?

Grimmer than a grim thing.

And I judge anyone that has one. 🤷‍♀️

@Bigpaintinglittlepainting

I'm a gardener by trade, I wouldn't recommend a fake lawn because they get so warm and gross in the summer. They are also not good for the environment.

If you can I would have a mixture of hard landscaping like pavers and gravel inter planted with shrubs and lovely plants like camomile and creeping thyme, grasses etc

That would look a lot better than a fake lawn

I'm a gardener too and totally agree. After a few years they get covered in moss and I've come across ones that have started to break down and weeds are pushing up through.

We put one in at our last house and I would say it's one of the best things we ever bought. We lived in a wooded area that never got the sun enough for decent grass and the previous owners has gravel which didn't work for our family with young children.

We spent more to get a more realistic one, never had to hoover it (?!) and it only got mossy at the edges, which we pulled up as and when we were out there. It meant the children could play out in all weathers and we'd lie down on it in the summer no problems (it never got very hot because of the surrounding trees providing shade).

So I'd say go for it - sorry to everyone else.

And we had it for about eight years before we moved last year and it was still in good condition.

They paved paradise and they put up a parking lot..

Fuck me. Some of you are spiteful. OP asked for pros/cons and tips, not derisory remarks and fake shock at why someone would consider AstroTurf. Assuming that the OP has young dc, a moss lawn or hard landscape with shrubs might not be the most suitable alternatives.

How do you use your garden OP? Kids? Any apparatus, swings slides etc? How big is the space?

Please don't, we have it, was in place when we bought the house. It's vile.