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!

@Mummyfry why not sit on a garden chair?

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.

Thyme, elfin mint, other creepy and ground cover? They smell great and are good for bees. Are you allergic to all of them? I ask because DH can't tolerate grass and but can those.

What about a camomile lawn?

Thanks I’m going to look into all the suggestions - didn’t know there was so many other options

Chamomile is a very slow grower though, it often doesnt take on for ages, meanwhile people are left with a quaggy mess

We have a smallish back garden and artificial grass has been the best! We've had grass, paving stones, but the AG has been amazing as it can be used in all weathers. When the LOs were young they loved playing out in the rain, came in with clean feet. So easy to maintain, quick sweep or hoover, job done lol 😆 Now moving to a house with a proper lawn, not used a lawnmower for a very long time!

To have it installed we used a builder friend, so professional and with drainage. Xx

Our buyers were delighted with it as low maintenance so doesn't always apply. Xx

I have hayfever too, but the pollen is all around in the air, I don't think you'll avoid it by having artificial grass. One of our neighbours has it, they inherited it from the previous owners and hate it and intend to have it removed and turfed. They say cats come round and poo on it. If you really don't want grass I think you could do something really nice with a mix of gravel, paving stones, pots and borders/raised beds if the garden isn't too big. Then you could grow some plants you are not allergic to. We dug up most of our lawn and have filled it with vegetable patches, raised beds, a pond and a herb spiral. We have gravel around the raised beds and have kept a few grass areas. Gravel is better for drainage than paving stones so worth considering.

My Dad had a small camomile lawn. Lovely smell.

I understand why people have it but Ive only seen it in 2 houses both were when we were viewing houses.

One was waterlogged and wrinkly?
The other just had an overwhelming smell of urine.

Based on that id say do your research

Have you considered a sedum or / chamomile lawn.

Or you keep grass cut below the normal recommended level.

I read there was a world war 2 bomber on the moon………that wasn’t true either.

No. Dirty and cheap.
Get another natural surface.

They were probably poorly fitted. For a decent long lasting artifical grass it is a lot of prep work to do it. A lot of people just lay them on slabs or have a poor base which stops drainage etc..... and then dogs pee on them and it doesn't drain away and they stink.

Yes true.
The main problem is that to get anything to grow after artificial grass has been laid for a while will cost thousands.
Here’s one article of so many!

Totally agree

Plastic extinction carpet.

This is such an interesting thread and this is such a beautiful lawn.
Another one now aspiring to this!
Wow!

My neighbour has it. It looks…..artificial. Granted though, low maintenance.

I hope the stuff gets banned one day! Yes, what the world needs is more plastic right?

Wrapped in plastic, it's fantastic (not)

A world covered in plastic is just what we all want!

Not me personally but people I know had it, then took it up. Involves vacuuming and hosing to keep it looking good, it’s a proper job so ensure you have time or you’ll regret it.
MIL has it and her outdoor area stinks of pee, as her dog urinates on it. A cat has also taken a liking to using it as a toilet (not her cat).

I certainy would never ever buy a house with aritificial grass.

We have it (not through choice - it was installed before we bought the house and we can't justify the cost and time of getting rid of it at present). It's not awesome - doesn't look brilliant through the winter and ours now has bits of normal grass growing through it. It's survived better than grass with greyhound zoomies at least.

Makes fuck all difference to my hayfever incidentally - but we have a nature reserve over the road so the pollen's going to get into the air whatever I do.

I get a rash if I sit on grass, but I'm fine sitting on a cushion, chair or yoga mat. Plastic is horrible. If you don't want grass, have a camomile lawn.

We'll be buying a new place in the near future and are really put off by this. I don't think people who don't have a problem with it realise what a strong gut reaction of offence it provokes in those who don't like it - much more so than when it comes to greige bathrooms or other Mumsnet-maligned trends! Sorry OP, but it is hard to understand. Most of the time it seems to look wrinkled anyway, but even if the next owners remove it, who wants to grow anything new in potentially carcinogenic soil? Why make it so that its future inhabitants - inc. wildlife - inherit that?