Does astroturf put you off?

[GingerBeverage]

If you're looking at family houses, would astroturf (fake grass) put you off viewing/buying?

I'm seeing it a lot in city terraces and semis these days. There seems to be a resurgence from being out of fashion decades ago.

What in your garden attracts plenty wildlife? Can’t be the grass.

Yes! Most importantly it's bad for the environment. It goes without saying that it looks very tacky. I'd be embarrassed to have it in my garden.
I'd also massively judge anyone who has it. It actually gives me the rage 😡

So just to confirm, it's bloody awful stuff.

No idea? The food?

The dirt and crumbs that can't be cleaned properly cos, well, AstroTurf...

Absolutely would put me off.

I don’t understand comments from people who say it’s better than looking at dead patches of grass etc, when plastic is literally dead and also will lead to more death of natural habitat. Being out in a garden for me is about smelling the cut lawn, hearing the bees and watching things grow. I even like mowing the lawn - it’s very satisfying. I like the whole cycle of seeing growth, life and decay in gardens and when it’s all covered in plastic and looks the same all year round I just don’t understand the appeal

Why do you clean your grass a lot?

The food is also nowhere near the lawn. I love how invested people are in my garden though.

I've never cleaned our fake grass. It doesn't get hot, doesn't smell. It came with the house, never would have chosen it but actually I can see why previous owners put it in- it's great and kids love it especially! And actually, it does look good. It'd be much worse for the environment if I got rid of it now, surely. Neighbours next door have a much more artifical version and its noticeable. Other next door's lawn is a balding dirt patch most of the year, apart from about a month in spring where it actually looked good.

We consciously offset our carbon, have put in lots and lots of plants and trees, have meat free days, electric car and walk as much as we can. Unfair to suggest anyone with a plastic lawn doesn't give a shit about the environment.

We have artificial grass. It just works for us but i understand others hate it.

Anyhow, we spend 10 x more time in our garden than any of our neighbours. Our dogs get to play outside regardless of the weather. I spent the weekend watching bees, birds, dragon flies, butterflies etc all filling my flowerbeds with life. I used the last of my water butt water to water my flowers & pots and everything was full of life.

If artificial lawn is fitted properly it is not too hot. My dogs spent most of the weekend outside even though they had the choice of a cooled room inside. Because i refused to walk them in the heat they did have to go to the toilet on the turf but it took seconds to clean up.

Contrast this with the numerous people outside watering their lawns for hours at a time. The noise, the fuel, the electricity used trimming the lawn. It was constant all weekend. I even had the pleasure of a neighbour telling his family to go inside as he was about to cut the grass and all the hidden dogshit would be going everywhere.

As with everything, there are good and bad points. At some point i intend to get a proper lawn. At present the artificial lawn suits our needs perfectly and i am trying to counter the negative ecological effects as best i can in the meantime.

Yes. It would imply to me that the occupiers were ignorant of the environmental impact and had probably used weedkillers and insecticides liberally, never mind what they might have used for cleaning the house etc. It would be an immediate 'no' for me.

As a family with little children it was a big pro for us.

Gosh, if you won’t consider houses where strong chemicals have been used, you’d be looking a long time I suspect.

I don't know anyone who waters their lawn, let alone anyone who maintains it more than actually using it.

i believe the amount of water used to manufacture astroturf is immense and far outweighs someone watering their lawn.

although, as you say, the majority don’t water lawns.

I’ve seen the figure 18 years of watering a traditional lawn bandied around, which, if true is ironic given the 10 year expected life of Astro turf. However there’s so many variables on that I wouldn’t take that as absolute.

If you don't clean astroturf what happens to all the bird poo, rotting leaves and general dirt that assumulates outside? We have lots of trees and I would be forever removing debris from it. I found a half eaten mouse on our lawn last week, that would have made a lovely mess all over astroturf.

I don't have many trees and the rain gets rid of anything else. I have never needed to clean it

I don't like it, but I don't like many people's wallpaper, either. Each to their own. I'd just rip it out, rake the soil underneath it and put some soil improver down, and then seed it with grass. Not expensive and not a big deal.

A horrible kitchen (unless old, and the house price reflected it) would put me off a lot more. Someone had clearly invested a lot in a shiny dark grey one in a house we looked at, and I'd never have offered on that house because the kitchen was good quality and new, and I'd have been unable to live with it. So I'd be paying a premium for something I'd just rip out.

Fake grass to me is like an unappealing carpet, when the boards underneath are fabulous and just need a sanding down and some oil, or you have original tiles, or something of that nature. Not my taste, but I know that what's underneath definitely is, after a little effort.