The Modern Lawn That's Kind to the Environment
Shortage of time, shortage of water and shortage of space doesn't mean you have to be without your patch of grass
Once the proud centrepiece of the Australian backyard, the perfect lawn has fallen out of favour. Thanks to drought, high water prices, endless maintenance, fertilising and pest and weed control, getting and keeping a healthy lawn has become unsustainable. But, there is still a place for the perfect patch of grass in our backyards. Here are the where, what, when and why to getting a great lawn that looks good and is great for the environment. It’s all about balance.
Maintenance
Over-fertilising, over-watering and, in general, over-pampering a lawn is one of the quickest ways to roll out the red carpet and invite all manner of pests and diseases. Wet, over-fed lawns are a paradise for grub and fungus infestations. Follow a regular regimen with a quality lawn-specific fertiliser as per the manufacture’s instructions. Anything more will be a waste of time and money, and will end up costing you more time and money. Avoid watering at all, if possible, or only in the morning as night time watering will encourage fungus disease. Even when a lawn is brown, crunchy and looks horrible, it can still recover with a good downpour of rain. Of course, if there hasn’t been rain for months and months, give the grass a drink.
More: 10 Steps to a Beautiful Green Lawn
Over-fertilising, over-watering and, in general, over-pampering a lawn is one of the quickest ways to roll out the red carpet and invite all manner of pests and diseases. Wet, over-fed lawns are a paradise for grub and fungus infestations. Follow a regular regimen with a quality lawn-specific fertiliser as per the manufacture’s instructions. Anything more will be a waste of time and money, and will end up costing you more time and money. Avoid watering at all, if possible, or only in the morning as night time watering will encourage fungus disease. Even when a lawn is brown, crunchy and looks horrible, it can still recover with a good downpour of rain. Of course, if there hasn’t been rain for months and months, give the grass a drink.
More: 10 Steps to a Beautiful Green Lawn
Keep it simple
Large areas of lawn not only take a long time to cut, and need lots of fuel and a noisy lawn mower, they also produce a lot of lawn clippings. Keep your lawn longer, especially in winter when the days are shorter and the grass needs more surface area to make food. A longer lawn in summer will hold more moisture, have less evaporation and smother weeds more easily.
Large areas of lawn not only take a long time to cut, and need lots of fuel and a noisy lawn mower, they also produce a lot of lawn clippings. Keep your lawn longer, especially in winter when the days are shorter and the grass needs more surface area to make food. A longer lawn in summer will hold more moisture, have less evaporation and smother weeds more easily.
Getting the right grass
There has been a lot of research and development in developing the perfect sustainable lawn variety. The results are grasses that can withstand drought better, need much less water, and survive in full shade and even in salty soils. The trick is getting the right one for you. While there is no one perfect lawn for every occasion (well not yet, anyway) there will be one that ticks most, if not all, of your boxes. Do your research and remember a little time and maybe some extra money spent in the beginning will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
There has been a lot of research and development in developing the perfect sustainable lawn variety. The results are grasses that can withstand drought better, need much less water, and survive in full shade and even in salty soils. The trick is getting the right one for you. While there is no one perfect lawn for every occasion (well not yet, anyway) there will be one that ticks most, if not all, of your boxes. Do your research and remember a little time and maybe some extra money spent in the beginning will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
Wear and tear
Kids and pets can be relentless on lawns. High traffic areas are the first to suffer when the grass simply wears away. By putting in a transitioning area like this, you can reduce the effects of wear and tear, and also help keep your paved areas cleaner.
Kids and pets can be relentless on lawns. High traffic areas are the first to suffer when the grass simply wears away. By putting in a transitioning area like this, you can reduce the effects of wear and tear, and also help keep your paved areas cleaner.
Alternatives
Don’t despair if the manicured look isn’t for you. Ornamental grasses provide all the same benefits as the traditional lawn, but without any of the work, and are the ultimate in sustainable gardening. A ‘lawn’ of native grasses ticks a lot of boxes: it provides a habitat for beneficial insects, with very few, if any, pests and diseases, and requires annual maintenance, at best.
Don’t despair if the manicured look isn’t for you. Ornamental grasses provide all the same benefits as the traditional lawn, but without any of the work, and are the ultimate in sustainable gardening. A ‘lawn’ of native grasses ticks a lot of boxes: it provides a habitat for beneficial insects, with very few, if any, pests and diseases, and requires annual maintenance, at best.
Fake it
Synthetic grass has come a long way in recent years with a number varieties available in different lengths and textures. For the natural look and feel of grass with none of the maintenance, synthetic options are perfect, especially for hard-to-access areas such as rooftop gardens or small balconies. They are also excellent in high traffic areas, where getting natural lawns to grow is always difficult.
Synthetic grass has come a long way in recent years with a number varieties available in different lengths and textures. For the natural look and feel of grass with none of the maintenance, synthetic options are perfect, especially for hard-to-access areas such as rooftop gardens or small balconies. They are also excellent in high traffic areas, where getting natural lawns to grow is always difficult.
Be creative
No one ever said you have to mow in straight lines. You don’t even have to mow the whole lawn. Make a swirl, make a checker board, make a maze … make it fun! Then, once you get sick of it, change it.
MORE GARDEN IDEAS
Tricks to Make Your Walled Courtyard Look Bigger
Wonderful Ways to Use Water in the Garden
14 Enchanting Fairytale Gardens
No one ever said you have to mow in straight lines. You don’t even have to mow the whole lawn. Make a swirl, make a checker board, make a maze … make it fun! Then, once you get sick of it, change it.
MORE GARDEN IDEAS
Tricks to Make Your Walled Courtyard Look Bigger
Wonderful Ways to Use Water in the Garden
14 Enchanting Fairytale Gardens
We demand more from our backyards than we used to – they also need to be a stylish element in our outdoor rooms. With the outside coming in and the inside coming out, lawns are extensions of our homes. When deciding to put in a lawn or reduce the size of your existing one, always keep access and maintenance in mind. Getting a lawn mower in and out and easily cutting the grass will make the job so much better.