I bought a house with a smallish garden - grass in the middle, borders round the edge. It was a pain - with two dogs the grass was muddy in the winter and yellow in the summer, felt like a lot of effort to drag the lawnmower out for maybe ten minutes mowing... Anyway, I got a garden designer in to make it lovely and their solution was to have a small patch of fake grass in the middle. It was a good quality one, and it was an excellent solution. No more mowing, looked good all year round, no mud trawled in by the dogs, and you could hose it down if they did anything on it.
I'd seen fake grass at a display garden at RHS Wisley and thought then that it looked pretty good - and if they had it there, it couldn't be naff! It was quite expensive to get the good stuff, but given that it needed no maintenance thereafter, I thought it was money well spent. However, that was for a relatively small area - I don't know whether I would for a large garden (though I guess that would depend on how large you mean).
No, it doesn't. A neighbour across the road had a strip down the side of her garage done and it looks like grass. It was a bit noticeable this summer that it didn't develop yellow patches the way natural grass has but it's just an unusually lush patch of grass with a few small flowers unless you actually crouch down and inspect it. It is also standing up well to people who park on it. The same patch of ground on my side of the road is rutted and muddy from vehicle tyres.
I was seriously considering having it installed myself last year but it's a bit expensive.
I've got it. Small garden, new build. Best thing I've done. It arrived cut to size on a roll. Literally unrolled it at the patio and rolled it in place. I've used pots randomly placed to stop lift. It's nearly three years old and still looking good. Every 3 months or so it just needs a sweep and a weed. Yup, weeds can still grow through it.
Neighbours had an infestation of these grub type things that gobbled up the grass roots ruining their lawns. Obviously our plastic grass wasn't touched! The neighbours struggle with their lawns. Not a lot of natural light gets on, too small to really do a good job with the mower, and all our gardens are on gradients. This was the best idea for our garden. It only cost £100.
The area of grass (which is a jungle at the moment) is large I admit. I live alone and seriously don't have time to be mowing lawns I'm not that interested. I got a property with large garden for my dogs. Winter is a pain as they trail in mud and the previous owners didn't really look after it either it's lumpy, patchy, and most of it over a foot fall of wild grass.
I thought easy option (likely to be expensive) take it up and put down fake grass (get it done properly). Doggie stuff can be cleared up easily, little maintenance and any plant can be in pots. I would say the area of grass at the moment is about 20x30 ft then a large patio then a big area of decking
It has to be laid properly to be right , 1. Old Grass lifted. 2. whole area compacted. 3. 1st layer Membrane laid. 4. Type 1 Base laid and Compacted. 5. 2nd Layer Membrane Laid. 6.Artificial Turf Rolled out. 7. Secure Edges. Weeds do not grow through when laid properly. Most Manufacturers offer a 10year guarantee not to fade. It's not a DIY job.
There is a good variety to choose from.....I saw one that looks like it was just on the verge of needing a cut and had the odd lighter green/brown bit in it.......looked very convincing to me.
Absolutely agree with hut27 that it needs professional laying if the area is large. It does show up ripples and undulations that arn't as noticeable with real grass.
Animal clear up is a breeze if you have the grass that is looped. Bushy cut grass, it's not so great. Rain penetrates (our gradient is towards our house which gave us some worry until it was fully tested by that very wet summer a couple of years ago!) All in all supremely happy and highly recommended for reluctant mowers!
My mum has it in her garden. Looks fantastic! And really handy as she has two dogs. So much easier to keep. Go for it, but don't be cheap about it.
A pub garden near us has it. I'd been there a couple of times before I realised it was fake. :D. I guess they had it because it gets a lot of kids playing on it and people walking over it. Doesn't look fake at all.
I remember an only fools and horses where Del and Rodney were in a nightclub. Del had told two girls Rodney was a professional tennis player....Rodney was distracted and when one of the girls asked whether he preferred AstroTurf or grass, he replied 'dunno, I've never smoked AstroTurf.
I have it throughout the house.
My golf has improved tremendously.
lol. That's the other reason I thought of having mine done. Trouble is putting green quality for an entire lawn is even more expensive. But with the various slopes my garden has it'd be ideal for practicing breaks
We considered it and even got some samples sent thorough, but for the quality I wanted it would have been a lot of money.
You can go from stuff that looks like the green grocer's display to top end stuff with different greens and even moss in it which looks like the real thing (one I liked).
I really think you have to buy the more expensive stuff and have it fitted as well.
My neighbour has what looks like some midrange stuff and I'm glad I did not settle for that as you can tell it's artificial. You can see quite a few lumps and bumps (which you don't notice with real grass) as well as some faint join lines.
The Hollyoaks actress Gemma Merna was made bankrupt by an artificial lawn company. She ordered a lawn and it was fitted but when she returned from holiday her back garden was water logged and was a disaster. She refused to pay for the lawn as it was defective but the company took her to court for non-payment and won somehow. I liked the look of the artificial grass a neighbour round the corner has a small amount in the front and it looks great but looks fake because it is too perfect.
Comments
I'd seen fake grass at a display garden at RHS Wisley and thought then that it looked pretty good - and if they had it there, it couldn't be naff! It was quite expensive to get the good stuff, but given that it needed no maintenance thereafter, I thought it was money well spent. However, that was for a relatively small area - I don't know whether I would for a large garden (though I guess that would depend on how large you mean).
You can get some high quality astro turf.
Allianz Park, rugby union has it. Look at the video.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20899266
I was seriously considering having it installed myself last year but it's a bit expensive.
Neighbours had an infestation of these grub type things that gobbled up the grass roots ruining their lawns. Obviously our plastic grass wasn't touched! The neighbours struggle with their lawns. Not a lot of natural light gets on, too small to really do a good job with the mower, and all our gardens are on gradients. This was the best idea for our garden. It only cost £100.
The area of grass (which is a jungle at the moment) is large I admit. I live alone and seriously don't have time to be mowing lawns I'm not that interested. I got a property with large garden for my dogs. Winter is a pain as they trail in mud and the previous owners didn't really look after it either it's lumpy, patchy, and most of it over a foot fall of wild grass.
I thought easy option (likely to be expensive) take it up and put down fake grass (get it done properly). Doggie stuff can be cleared up easily, little maintenance and any plant can be in pots. I would say the area of grass at the moment is about 20x30 ft then a large patio then a big area of decking
Animal clear up is a breeze if you have the grass that is looped. Bushy cut grass, it's not so great. Rain penetrates (our gradient is towards our house which gave us some worry until it was fully tested by that very wet summer a couple of years ago!) All in all supremely happy and highly recommended for reluctant mowers!
Green side up.
My golf has improved tremendously.
And........ if you move you can take it with you.
A pub garden near us has it. I'd been there a couple of times before I realised it was fake.
Classic
http://www.artificial-grass.com/
You can go from stuff that looks like the green grocer's display to top end stuff with different greens and even moss in it which looks like the real thing (one I liked).
I really think you have to buy the more expensive stuff and have it fitted as well.
My neighbour has what looks like some midrange stuff and I'm glad I did not settle for that as you can tell it's artificial. You can see quite a few lumps and bumps (which you don't notice with real grass) as well as some faint join lines.
I would find out about how well it drains particularly if your garden isn't flat. Here is a link with pics of Gemma Merna's nightmare garden. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2241014/Hollyoaks-actress-Gemma-Merna-opens-bankruptcy-hell.html