fake grass... do you have it?

[thisisyesterday]

am seriousyl thinking about laying astro-turf in my back garden

we live in an area that is built on clay. you dig down about a foot and it is just thick white clay.
because of this, the moment it rains our garden is basically a bog. we have a mud path across the lawn at the moment just from where I've walked across it each day to put the rabbits away at night after the recent rain.

it squelches when i stand on it.
the children can't play out there half the time because it's just muddy and slippery.

the previous owners tried to help by raising the height of the main lawn by dumping another foot of topsoil on it. it hasn't worked.

so, i was going to just pave the back garden because despite really hating paved gardens I figured that at least the children would be able to play out there all year round if they wnated to.

but now I have got a climbing frame, and I'm worrie that if they fall off they're going to really hurt themselves if i have it stood on a paved area.

so... what do you think of fake grass? too naff? or a reasonable compromise for a garden built on clay???

the people who lay the grass will excavate and lay hardcore/sand on very wet gardens it says...

i'm not sure we can do any more than that tbh because it's surely all going to just flow off all the surrounding gardens into ours as well if ours is drier?

am googling soakaways though as well!

My aunt has it in her garden and it looks fab, just like real grass.
She has it put in as her and her DP both have health issues do could never have got the lawnmower out.
Not sure about the drainage issue though.

which fake grass is the best on a budget? im interested in this too.

i am "lucky" enough to have a really small garden. the place i was looking at quoted approx £1100 for a 5mx5m area. that includes excavation, laying foundations, laying the grass and disposal of everything that needs disposing of

it's a LOT of money, but if it works then it's good forever isn't it. no more upkeep

Who could I ask to sort out drainage in our very soggy garden? A builder?

Verdigrass have budget pieces. Mine was 370 2mx4m vvv hardwearing. They also do recycled ie used for exhibitions etc.

actually i did google garden drainage, and the place I live and it came up with several garden people who do stuff like that.

ynk, is it soft enough for kids to play on? and does it look realistic?>

just checking out their website now

Yes to both.
Sorry I meant mine was £70 not 370, doh!