For many of us, our only experience of artificial lawn is the rough, plastic feeling astroturf we had at school in the early 2000s. You might have read stories about people sustaining carpet like burns from fake grass, or have had similar experiences of your own. For years, artificial lawn was out there, but unless you could afford to pay the earth, it was hard, rough and quite obviously fake. It didn’t feel real, it didn’t welcome you to play, or invite you to sit down for a picnic, it was off-putting, you wouldn’t have wanted it in your relaxing garden at home, and you certainly wouldn’t have wanted your children to play on it. This kind of astroturf was for sports grounds and stadiums, and even then, it wasn’t to be trusted.
But, even with these views, you can’t have failed to notice the quite sudden rise in popularity of artificial grass. Every garden centre and even supermarket seems to be selling their own fake grass, and you might even know people that have made the investment over the last few years. But why? What’s changed? Why is artificial lawn suddenly so popular, and why should you consider getting some for your own garden like we are?
The Quality Has Improved Massively
If you haven’t touched artificial grass for years, you’ll be amazed at how soft it feels on your fingers. New Lawn Astro isn’t hard, or rough. It doesn’t feel like plastic, and it won’t burn your knees if you slide on it. In fact, it feels quite a lot like real grass.
But, at the same time, it’s not too good. For a long time, a big criticism of artificial lawn was that it looked too good, it was too green and too even, it was so good it couldn’t possibly be real. So, work has been done to make sure that artificial grass looks more authentic, with different shades, often a shaggier length, and more realistic colouring.
It Will Help You to Manage Weeds and Moss
Often, when we move into a new home, it’s been empty for a while. During this time, the garden has been left to grow. Weeds and moss have taken over, and it can be almost impossible to ever get rid of them. Depending on where you live, and the quality of your earth, weeds, and moss might have blighted your lawn for years, it might be a constant battle. Artificial grass doesn’t have this problem.
It’s Hard Wearing
Is there anything worse than spending months cultivating the perfect lawn for the kids to destroy a part of it with a paddling pool or large toy? Artificial grass is hard wearing. It can handle toys, rough play, and hard use. It might not always look exactly the same, but it won’t be damaged beyond repair by a little fun.
It’s Weatherproof
Real grass needs quite specific conditions to thrive. Too much sun, it discolours, too much rain, it drowns. Too little rain, it starves and dries out. Then, there’s the mud. Rain is great for your lawn but means that the kids are always running mud through the house. Fake grass can better handle all forms of weather and doesn’t get muddy.
It’s Long Lasting
If well looked after, a real lawn can last for a long time. But, it’s incredibly hard work, the weather needs to be on your side, wildlife, children, weed and moss and other grass problems are working against you all of the time, and lawn needs seeding, or replacing completely more often than we would like. With very little maintenance, your artificial grass can last for years and years, which is excellent news for anyone with young children or pets.
It Can Be A Worthwhile Investment
Artificial lawn is often more expensive than real turf. But, long term, it can pay for itself. It won’t need replacing as quickly. You won’t need to buy tools, treatments, weedkillers, or lawnmowers. You’ll even save money on your water bill by not having to water it in the summer.
It’s Low Maintenance
Some people love tending to their garden. They enjoy mowing the lawn, preening the plants and digging out weeds. Their garden is their pride and joy, and they love nothing more than a day working in it. It’s undoubtedly great exercise and a fantastic chance to get some vitamin D. But, we’re not all like that. Many of us want a low maintenance garden, that looks great all year round with minimal effort. Where we can just relax and rest, enjoy eating outdoors and playing with our family, without having to worry about mess, mud and what needs to be done. An artificial lawn can help you to get the low maintenance garden of your dreams.
It’s Good for People with Disabilities or Injuries
Some people don’t like mowing the lawn and de-weeding the turf and others can’t. If you’ve got a disability or injury, and especially problems with your back and knees which make bending over for long periods difficult or even impossible, you might not be able to give your garden the attention that it needs. Without artificial grass, this either means paying someone else to look after your grass or having it replaced with a patio or decking, which you might not find as appealing. Artificial lawn gives you another option.
It’s a Future Investment
You might be thinking that mowing your lawn isn’t a problem. But, what about as you get older? If you’ve got a large lawn, will you always be able to keep it as you’d like it? Will you be fit enough to mow it in twenty years? Artificial turf means that you never have to worry.
Like real grass, fake lawn is worth laying right. Take your time to prepare your garden before laying. Dig up any old grass, making sure to clear away any weeds and degree, before flattening the area. You might also want to have your lawn played professionally, to ensure that it’s done well, especially if it’s not something that you have done before.
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