Artificial grass - share experience and where to buy

[Mummyfry]

Hi,

Can anyone please share their experience with artificial grass and what to look out for when choosing and installing the artificial grass? Did you install it yourself or get the shop to install it?

We would ideally want something realistic looking, high quality and our daughter will play in it. The grass area won’t be that big so we don’t mind paying a higher price per m.

I’m not looking for any comments on how we shouldn’t get artificial grass (I’m aware of the negatives ie environment concerns and how it can get very hot) as I have a grass and pollen allergy so we can’t have real grass and we don’t want the whole garden paved as we already have a patio area.

thanks in advance!

Dont care about the Carcinogenic issues either?

I thought about artificial grass because I wanted low maintenance then I discovered it’s not low maintenance. There are other plants that can be grown to be lawn like or a totally different surface. I’m going for hard wood chips in part of my garden. Not cheap but they do last well and are low maintenance

Next door have it, expensive one looked really good for a couple of years, now (5 years on), it is looking fake, a bit wrinkled, water pools in the well used area near the washing line

They have spent a lot of money on sand dressing, a lot of time on brushing and blowing the leaves off.

It is quite an investment.

Don’t mention artificial grass on MN you will get flamed 😂 I got mine from grass247 online. I couldn’t have real turf in the small area I wanted it but the artificial grass I bought looks great. You can order samples from them before deciding.

https://lawnassociation.org.uk/the-horrific-truths-about-artificial-grass/

It's awful, especially when it gets wrinkles.

We have Quickgrass Woburn after looking at a LOT of samples - tho this was about 5 years ago so their products may have changed.

Not had any of the issues mentioned above at all. Looks virtually new, no wrinkles or pooling or flattening. Very happy with it in our tiny garden.

The key thing IMO is getting it laid by a specialist, they need to excavate the soil and lay down various layers of hardcore/grit/sand before laying the grass. Not a cheap process.

Our fitter steered us away from NoMow and Easigrass (poor quality he said). He also advised mid length, too long and it’s likely to flatten more easily, too short and it looks like astroturf.

Ah, I miss the days when people (like myself) who had allergies just took an anti histamine rather than coating the world in plastic.

Sigh.

Who needs nature eh?

I wanted a plastic lawn but my BIL gardener said it would cost more in maintenance than grass.

I've since moved away and would be lost without the guy who is attacking my garden and will be mowing the lawn every other week. Far cheaper and much nicer.

I am aspiring to this, though. Looks beautiful
www.livingetc.com/advice/red-creeping-thyme-lawn

Thanks, Yes - seems like the case and I don’t need to be judged for my preferences. I don’t get why people feel like they HAVE to comment when they don’t agree and don’t know my situation (eg even if I take antihistamines, still cant sit on grass) But I do want to know people’s experiences

thanks I’ll check out the site !

One word NO.

(+ a few more, should be illegal).

I don’t need to be judged for my preferences.

If those preferences are environmentally irresponsible (and utterly tasteless), yes, you should be judged.

Yes, this 🤣

The property I moved in has artificial grass out front. My goodness, it’s harder to keep than popping lawnmower over. It was a high quality one, but even so as it’s been down a few years now weeds grow though it. Front garden is north facing so it has moss growing in it. The time sweeping, getting weeds / moss out etc is longer than it would take me putting a mower on standard grass. Anyone own artificial grass please tell us how you look after it, I’d be grateful of tips which OP would benefit ☺️

It would be worth speaking with a gardener about options other than grass or plastic.

I understand that with your allergies grass isn’t an option but with all of the dangers associated with fake grass I wouldn’t consider it as an option for your child to play on either.

I was thinking the same. Maybe some types of thick moss would work? With succulents interspersed among it/along the borders? Should give you more protection from heat.

Are you actually allergic to just plain grass on the lawn? As in you can’t touch it?

My Ds has a really severe grass allergy, as off the scale with blood tests, and he’s on several allergy medications. But he’s fine just with grass in our garden or wherever. He only can’t cope when the grass is cut, so it’s released into air. At home we have loads and loads of grass (about 1/2 acre), and he plays on it daily. Myself or dh just make sure we cut the grass when he’s at nursery, and then I don’t let him in the garden that afternoon.

On days lots of people nearby cut, or nursery cuts grass day before I make sure to give him allergy stuff that morning and he has back up for during day. Same with pollen, it’s only now around April time with high pollen count days that’s he’s bad (about 2-3 weeks a year)

Why do people (any people, theres another thread running at the moment where someone is looking to rehome their dog, doesnt want any comments about that, well Im sure they dont!) get the idea that nothing they do should ever be judged?

Where did that come from?

Sometimes people do things that perhaps arent the right thing. Might be right for them but not for others in general.

Anyway OP, have you thought about a gravel garden, almost like a beach/shingle effect and growing low growing non grass things throughout that. Wont get hot, wont stink up the place with animals pooing and weeing on it, will allow nature to thrive still.

Thanks for the suggestions.

@Beatrixslobber yes probably good idea to speak to a gardener to see any other options and thanks for being nice about it.

@soupfiend - a gravel garden sounds like a nice idea actually. Will look into that.

Sorry but it looks tacky and cheap. What's t he point of having a garden without anything loving in it? Just depressing.

Alternatives to grass lawn:

designfor-me.com/project-types/gardens/alternatives-grass-can-i-instead-lawn/

Don't. Just don't.

It is hideous and tacky.

My friend’s neighbour went in for this two years ago in a small courtyard for her little one to play on and told me today she’s getting rid. It holds water, looks terrible and she even thinks it smells. She’s going to re tile it, and install raised beds for flowers and salad.

My friend used to vacuum hers. It was very odd and also looked shite

I have artificial grass op. My garden is north facing and small...I've tried and failed many many times to grow a lawn. My fake grass makes me very happy

I read artificial grass knocks 10k off your property value as well.