Artificial grass - yes or no?

[ChicagoBears]

I have a substantial garden, some has porcelain tiles but it’s mostly loose stone which looks bare and is difficult to use so I was considering artificial grass.

I know there’s lots of grades of grass, I’d opt for the premium grade but wanted to garner opinion, what (if any) are the drawbacks of artificial grass? Will I love to regret it?

Perhaps the majority of us on this thread need educating about how beneficial plastic grass is to the environment and our ecosystem.

How people 'need' plastic grass in their lives.

If you wish to spout us some facts we would love to hear them.

☺️

This thread certainly escalated!

Certainly did, thanks to the Toxic one...

Never was a user name so apt!

Oh, a dig at me. Why not just tag me on it.

The doc socs person, just would never listen and try to change subject various times.

Comparing cars to artificial grass?! Funny.

An acquaintance has artificial grass. It is difficult to keep clean and when her dog's piss on it it stinks. Some weeds like marestail grow through artificial grass and then it looks like crap.

If you have gravel, how about a herb garden where the plants can grow through the gravel and you can leave paths to get around it? Gravel gardens can be beautiful.

Our lawn used to be fine despite having damp, clay soil. But over the last few years when we seem to have alternated between very hot weather and spells of very wet weather mean that it's disappeared. We've tried reseeding and putting down turf, nothing works. We definitely don't want plastic grass, but are there any experts out there who can suggest something that would grow and stay there?

Cabernet Sauvignon Have you tried clay breaker and worms? We are in a new build on heavy river clay. We applied clay breaker and DH ordered worms through the mail and put them in the garden. We do have bald patches where leaves permanently shade the grass e.g. where I planted the rhubarb too close to the lawn. Could the damage be due to something like a leatherjacket infestation? The lawns around me are being devastated by that. I have heard of lawns of thyme or chamomile but I don't know how hard wearing they would be, and I can't imagine they are comfortable to walk on with bare feet.

A chamomile lawn is lovely on bare feet! It's low growing and soft (you have to get the right kind, and it can be slow to spread though, and I'm not sure how it would do on clay) and smells gorgeous. I've got a corner of my lawn over to chamomile just for the smell.

Here is a link to an article that provides some lovely low maintenance lawn alternates, a quick Google shows more options. Low maintenance as I think that’s key for many.

https://www.daviddomoney.com/the-best-low-maintenance-plants-for-easy-lawn-alternatives/

I have artificial grass in my garden covering the concrete slabs. Works well for us as dc won't get hurt if they fall, we obviously have to brush it to get the debris out of it but not too often, it dries quickly too. We tend to just go out barefoot on it or socks tbh. Our cats are indoor but we've had neighbours cats in the garden and so far they have t used it for business whereas before they would've!

@Mademetoxic Perhaps you should also tag people when referring to them? 🙂

At no point did I say the grass was good for the environment, it was you that continuously bleated on about it.

In reference to cars, that was as you again continuously went on about what the thread was about and I made a link that cars are also not good for the environment but we still use them.

@gotmygroove Tip if cats do end up on it: bio wash liquid diluted and watered on is great for clearing it up 🙂

@Laffinalltheway My favourite post of today 🤣

But cars serve a purpose to people and the community.

What does artificial grass actually serve a purpose for.
Sure we all 'need' plastic grass.

It's like comparing chalk to cheese, you just can't compare them. It's laughable really.

@Mademetoxic As I stated at the start of the thread, my plastic grass has made my garden a usable space rather than the mud bath it was before. My little girl could not use the garden as it was constantly flooded, it was uneven and it just wasn't a nice space to be in, despite many efforts to grow the grass.

So your argument of 'it has no purpose' is quite laughable really too as its served me a purpose.

Cars do serve a purpose but I know of a LOT of people who could walk but choose to drive.

It's not just YOU in this world. You do realise this yes?
Cars serve a purpose. For ambulances. Police. Carers. To name a few.

If everybody thought like YOU we would all die off.

Maybe we should, just end the selfish human population like yourself.

@shitlawns on Twitter is where you need to be.

Me, me, me, I, I, I self, self, self.
The world doesn't revolve around you.

People can just just selfish arseholes in this world and think about me, myself and I.

Definitely look up shitlawns on twitter.

When we lived in the middle of a city, with a postage stamp of "grass" that never grew and was a muddy patch in the back garden that was north facing, we did change an area of cobbles and gravel for artificial grass - and it was great in that environment. Grass wouldn't grow as the area was very shaded and soil very dry. It was very effective and gave a pretence of grass...

But - we were exchanging one environmental ly "dead" substance for another that made the area much more usable for us with a small child.

We've since moved to the country and I now have a large lawn filled with dandelions, daisies, cowslips and buttercups. Lots of bugs and bees. And I love it.

@Mademetoxic Its not YOU who rules the world and dictates what people can and can't have either. You do realise that, yes?

I said cars serve a purpose so I'm not sure why you brought ambulances into it. Pretty bizarre to bring that up to be honest... my comment was about those who use the car when they are more than capable of walking. But hey! You crack on twisting things as you've done all through this thread 🙂

You asked what purpose it serves and I told you. Obviously that isn't good for you. Toxic grass is the least of your worries with an attitude like yours...

@Mademetoxic and just like other entitled people in this world, when things don't go your way or you don't have an answer, you resort to insults. Well done you 🙂

What purpose does it serve to hedgehogs, bees, birds who need to feed on insects, wildlife?

Where is their purpose in this?

Just rip up their natural habitat to suit your needs? Your selfish needs?

@shitlawns on twitter.
I think you need to take a look at that.

It will always be shit and the sooner it is banned from this planet the better. It is tacky, fake (fake grass is fake, who knew!)
Cheap to look at, ugly...

Also it will put potential buyers off buying your home if you do ever want to sell up.

@Mademetoxic You said it served no purpose and as I explained (quite simply!) it served me a purpose as my little girl can go exploring in her garden. Would you prefer her to stay indoors as the garden was so unsafe for her? Talk a out selfish.

As I also explained, we have lots of plants in pots that attract bugs, bees etc. Again, as that doesn't suit you, obviously we are wrong.

Nobody is interested in 'shitlawns' - I'm just finding it laughable but you carry on. It's hilarious 🙂

@Mademetoxic funny enough, those I know with fake grass have sold their home within days of it being on the market. So what a pointless comment that is...