So fake but so good
When we were renovating our backyard I was torn on the idea of laying down artificial turf rather than natural grass. It was more cost effective to go down the artificial turf path which was obviously appealing, but I wasn’t convinced that the garden wasn’t going to look like a giant pet training pad. At that time (we’re talking 7 years ago) there weren’t many examples of good looking fake grass.
But my landscape gardener knew better! We were only going to lay a small amount of grass on the narrow strip between the deck and garden-wide planter box, and so our landscaper kindly reminded us how much of a biatch it would be to have to pull out the old mower to take care of that small amount of space. There was barely enough room to turn around on this patch of grass so the mower would struggle.
At that time our dog, Poppy was only young. Before the landscaping works began she made an impressive mess of the dirt patch that lay there before. We could see what she was capable of and didn’t want to run the risk she’d tear $20k+ apart within a couple of days home alone!
So artificial turf it was, and we haven’t looked back. I was thrilled with its appearance once laid. This product has come a long way in the last decade or so. With some different coloured streaks that can only be described as “dead looking grass” running throughout, it looked surprisingly realistic.
It’s been so easy to maintain too. We run the hose over it semi-regularly and once or twice a year we will cover it with white vinegar to remove any smell forming (albeit hardly noticeable) and wash it down with our pressure washer. You can also buy deodorisers from garden shops. It’s worn really well and has kept its colour beautifully. We’ve never had a weed pop through it either which we read could happen.
The only down side we’ve found is what you read about when researching artificial turf. It’s true, it does get hot in the immediate sun, especially in the peak of summer. It does cool quickly, but you certainly can’t go barefoot when the sun is on it. Though in my opinion, if that’s the trade-off for never having to fire up the lawnmower and having a perfectly green pop of colour to look out to every day, then that’s a price I’m happy to pay.
Some stockists to check out for samples and quotes on artificial grass that service the local Westie hood are:
1800 327 988
0438 305 225
1300 131 349
snaps from our garden with poppy loving life:
