Fake grass- yay or nay?

[ReganSomerset]

We're looking to sell in a few years and are currently sorting out the garden. I'd quite like to put fake grass down and it would probably be easier than laying it to lawn properly, but I'm concerned it might put buyers off in future. What do you think?

My Mum had to have her front garden ripped up and a drive put in. It absolutely pained her but parking was becoming such an issue she felt she had no choice (they don't have a car but my sister is there often) Any space was taken by people working at the nearby hospital.

I realise that for some it's a necessity, but where i live people are paving their front gardens over just because they can't be arsed with lawns. The removal of hedges really grieves me.

I realise that for some it's a necessity it's not a necessity for anyone.

loaf I think that comment was in regards to paving over front lawns/gardens.

You still don't have to use fake grass whatever the circumstances. If you don't want to mow the front lawn find an alternative,pave it,plant it whatever but don't put a plastic carpet down.

We viewed a house with fake grass but it smelled of cat wee. I'm guessing you have to wash it and you definitely have to sweep it to stoop Moss growing etc. I'd rather just cut the grass tbh. I also think the current trend of demonising plastic straws while covering the ground in plastic grass a bit odd.

loaf again that very short discussion was about having to pave over gardens to make a drive. It had slightly diverted from fake grass. It is still a shame that my parents now have gravel out the front rather than the mature garden with grass and plants. My parents don't have fake grass, neither do they have real grass and that still makes me sad.

I think one things for sure. Plastic grass really is the marmite of the gardening world.

I think I'd understand people not caring so much about the environment if it looked good. But it clearlydoesnt. One of those pics posted (sorry to thr poster) you can even see the joins on thr stripes, and rhe other thr uniformity and flatness makes it really obvious it's fake.

People keep saying it is realistic and they have loads of pots to attract wildlife etc, but not one person has posted a pic to show that.

It's absolutely disgusting, and I don't get how anyone can think it's a good idea. I thought people were more aware these days, everything we do affects the environment which will affect us all at some point and it won't be good!
Thankfully I only know one person that has this fake rubbish, it smelled so bad I thought it was bins until they explained it needed disinfecting.. not something you want to sit on!
I have a very small garden but we've turned it into a patch of grass, lots of plants around the edges and even a couple of small trees! Yes, the grass is a bit patchy but what does it matter? It's real, it's green, smells lovely and we keep getting birds digging around, looking for worms and I love it! It makes me mad to think how people destroy nature, the animals need somewhere to live too!

For those who are interested I came across this petition:-
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/254776

I think people are taking this way too far. A petition, really? There is some real nonsense spouted on here too, I've never ever needed to disinfect my grass or the tiny bit of fake grass out the front. The rain keeps it clean and in the summer I just give it a little water like the real grass has out the back. Plenty of people use harmful weedkillers without batting an eyelid. There are so many things made of plastic that we should concentrate on replacing before a bit of fake grass. Also, turf usually also has plastic through it, not as much but it's still there. I feel we should stop picking at small things and focus on the big ones, I'd love milk to be in glass bottles I can take back to the store to be reused, for instance.

Don't you think plastic grass is a 'big thing?'

Yes: fake grass is a small thing we can get rid of or not put down to enhance the environment for creatures such as worms, birds and any small creatures that live in grass. In fact, what we do here has little effect on this "big issues". We are a tiny percentage of world emissions for example. However protecting our own wildlife is somethting we can all do with a bit of thought - and being willing to look after grass!

Also getting rid of turf that absorbs water is a bad idea when we are worried about flooding. Turf absorbs water. It prevents the drains being overloaded. The way forward is not to get rid of a front garden so an able bodied person can park right next to the front door occasionally. The answer is for the hospital to provide adequate parking. The stations around me have double decker parking, so why cannot hospitals do that? The local council shoud also be involved to help with on street parking for residents. Residents Only parking helps too. Paving front gardens is to be wholly discouraged unless a turf base is kept.

There are so many things made of plastic that we should concentrate on replacing before a bit of fake grass.

Why, because it's suits you to tell yourself it's ok and concentrate on other things? We all need to be doing the best we can now. If no one was prepared to pay for plastic grass, it wouldn't be manufactured. The justification and excuses on here are incredible and demonstrate a exactly why the planet is fucked.

By the way, you can get milk in glass bottles delivered. It's quite easy to get. I believe Milk and More operate nationally.

Nay.

bubbles as that was directed at me (well my parents) people don't want to pay, even if spaces are available, so they will park there and walk to the town or hospital. Residents parking was rejected by the residents and anyway all residents parking does is push the issue into the next street.

Their drive is gravel so negates some of the drainage issues. The back garden is still grass, there is still a slight border, and it wasn't about an able bodied person being able to park right next to the front door, it was about someone not being able to park anywhere at all in the vicinity.

We have it. Small square garden. Our grass never grew even though we had it relaid twice. And tried and tried. In the end it's been fab. We have 2 flowerbeds with roses, clematis, etc, so no problem with wildlife.
If we ever sold, easy enough to remove and try and grow grass again.
Many posters are posting objecting without taking into account why people might have had it done.

The recent UN report on global biodiversity is clear that it's not to late to make a difference, but only as we start now at every level from global to local.

Reasons why people use is don't matter. (And to be honest the justification for its use is dubious most of the time anyway....)

@Oblomov19 Exactly, I really dislike how self righteous some people come across. Replacing my turf constantly is not an affordable option.

@OliviaBenson I'm afraid my grocery budget doesn't stretch to milk delivery for what we need. Also I wonder if the vehicle used for delivery is particularly environmentally friendly?Just a thought. I think supermarkets who sell the vast majority of milk should take some responsibility. German supermarkets do it with soft drinks, why can't we with milk?

I don't think a small patch of fake grass is much different to a large plastic or rubber doormat to be honest. I don't get on my high horse about the reusable nappies I use as I understand they're not for everyone, same should apply here.

No turf needs replacing all the time.

Moonrises. There should be pressure put on the hospital to provide appropriate parking and the residents should have Residents Only. The Council should review the issues that are arising. People won’t want to walk far to work and maybe the hospital staff will put pressure on their employer for appropriate parking.

Drainage in streets was not designed for lack of turf and far too much run off water. In some areas it exacerbates flooding. Neighbourhoods need to sort this out and not pave over gardens. To keep gravel working effectively, you need hard core prep below and that is effectively non porous. Water runs off it or it ponds. It doesn’t get absorbed. There isn’t any way that replacing turf or extensive beds is good.

I think it should be banned too. The pure vanity of it amazes me, you've put having a 'nice' looking garden ahead of wildlife. Very shallow imo.

Personally no i wouldn't.

My parents have, my dad is allergic to pollen and he's having chemo (lungs) and my mum can't do the mowing herself and grass isn't ever happy there (despite returfing twice in the last 10 years) and I can't remember the rest of their reasons. I still don't like it but I feel like arguing with them is a bit pointless now.

I have it front and back- only a small section in both- grass just never grew so was more of a mud pit then a lawn.

I don’t see why patio is considered better than artificial grass- you are still covering up the ground meaning no insects or worms.

You do need to pay out for the quality stuff though or it can look naff- there are garden round here where it doesn’t look great.

And all these concerns about impact of producing more plastic, I throw out more plastic packaging in a year then my artificial grass is made of- at least the grass has a long lifetime and a purpose unlike pointless packaging.

Ha well if you paid a lot for your "quality" fake grass you were well and truly ripped off. Must have seen you coming. What is the point in all the "I have fake grass but there are worst things you can do" posts. You and many others like you just don't get it and for me it just reinforces my view on fake grass owners (ie you are really non too bright).

@lavenderhidcote Im not sure that my owning a small amount of fake grass is in any way related to my levels of intelligence. I don't believe that perfect spelling and grammar is either. We are here to express our opinions, but there's no need for outright unkindness.