Landscape designers throughout the world are beginning to use artificial turf more and more regularly, especially in tough climates. Although traditional lawns are still widespread, artificial turf has a number of benefits which make it the favoured choice, especially for people who don’t have a lot of time or money to spend on lawn maintenance.
What is artificial turf?
Basically, artificial turf is fake grass. It is usually made to look and feel as much like real grass as possible, which is one of the reasons why it is rapidly growing in popularity. Although it’s usually made of some sort of plastic or synthetic material, it is often more environmentally friendly and a better option than real grass.
What are the benefits of using artificial turf in harsh environments?
Artificial turf is becoming a favourite for landscape designers who work in Australia’s harsh conditions. Unfortunately, regular grass needs a lot of maintenance to look good when it is hot and dry – like in the Australian summer – which means that it often isn’t a logical choice. Some of the benefits of using artificial turf include:
It doesn’t need watering – Water use is a major environmental problem throughout Australia. Reservoir levels are at an all time low in many places, and people are being faced with significant water restrictions which prevent them from watering their lawn or garden too often. Fortunately, artificial turf doesn’t need watering. This can save thousands of liters of water over the course of a year, and can also save you a lot of time.
It is very low maintenance – Regular lawns need a lot of maintenance. Things like weeding, mowing, and watering can take up a lot of time, especially if you have a large lawn. Synthetic turf pretty much looks after itself. You may have to clean or repair it occasionally, but you won’t have to spend near as long performing boring maintenance tasks.
It doesn’t need fertilising – A lot of people smother their lawns in artificial fertilisers in a bid to make them grow faster and greener. Unfortunately, a lot of this fertiliser makes its way into the environment where it can be extremely damaging. Synthetic turfs don’t need fertilising, and therefore don’t have the same impact.
It looks great – One of the major benefits of artificial turfs, especially in harsh climates, is that it is never patchy, brown, or half dead. It doesn’t matter how hot or dry it gets – artificial lawns will always look great!
How do I install artificial turf in my garden?
Artificial turf is very simple to install. If you are handy and don’t mind a bit of hard work, there are plenty of videos online detailing how to easily install artificial turf. Alternatively, speak with your landscaper and ask them if they can install it or if not, if they can recommend someone who can.