Landscaping with artificial grass

[redsquash]

I haven't thought this through but what are your thoughts on artificial turf, ie plastic grass .

I need to do something with a backyard. Tenants don't really look after gardens well.....in general and a no maintenance lawn may help attract tenants and keep the place looking good.

This would be for Brisbane. No watering required .
Theft is a consideration , but probably covered by insurance?

 

[BayView]

The plastic grass looks tacky, and will wear out eventually.
Pavers rule, and drought resistant plants.

 

[Pablo]

Hi,

I'm interested in how the artificial grass stands up to pets. But I agree that it looks tacky.

 

[redsquash]

The plastic grass looks tacky, and will wear out eventually.
Pavers rule, and drought resistant plants.

There you go. I think artificial grass looks great. Thats why I posted the poll. For an IP its, what's important for other people , not myself.

Maybe you are referring to plastic squares which attach to one another. I am referring to a more carpet like material.
.
however a back yard full of paver's is going to absorb a lot of heat in a Brisbane summer/autumn and spring with weeds eventually poking through so continuous maintenance.
Valid point about maintenance which includes weathering..........I have no idea

 

[Perp]

I think the people saying that artificial grass looks tacky haven't seen the new generation artificial grasses. This is not like what you see at indoor cricket pitches, people! This stuff looks amazing, I was staggered at how good it looks. Marc and Pablo, this stuff even has artificial rubbert "dirt" granules brushed into it to make it look more real, it truly is spectacular:

http://enduroturf.com.au/content/view/28/

http://enduroturf.com.au/content/view/33/37/

My objection would actually be that it may be too good for an IP - it's very expensive! But if it's a high-end rental and you think the tenants will appreciate it, and/or it's a small area, and it cuts down on your maintenance, from an aesthetic perspective I'd say "go for it" - wish I could afford it for my own place!

 

[TommyR]

Hi All ,

I notice a lot of display homes in Adelaide now have artificial grass, it certainly is an improvement on the indoor cricket type grass of yesterday.
We have about 15m2 of dead grass at the front of our place that I am planning to replace with artificial grass, with the current water restrictions it's got to look better than the brown patch we currently have.
I don't know how durable it would be for a high traffic area though,I suspect not very. They sprinkle rubber granules over it when it is laid to give it that grass feel when you walk on it. Perhaps an artificial cow grazing on it would complete the illusion
Seriously though, to the casual observer it does look quite realistic

Tom

 

[pieman]

Yes the new expensive grass is amazing, not at all rough like the bunnings chinese stuff
pieman

 

[sailor]

I too wonder how it would stand up to wear and tear and pets! Should would save on the mowing!

 

[kells]

I'm voting for disliking artificial grass. I've seen the new stuff, all the display homes around Melbourne are doing it because we're having water restrictions, but you can still tell it's fake. The colour just doesn't look right.

I think the paving and drought resistant plants is a good idea. Or you can always go for the native grasses instead.

 

[ianvestor]

I wonder how this new stuff feels on bare feet.

I also wonder if the ants and bugs will keep off or if they'll overrun it just as much as real grass.

Would be nice to have a lawn with no ants.

 

[bernly]

I'm voting for it. Many country councils in SA are using it for verges and roundabouts and it looks great. In some areas you can compare the before and after effect and it's 'lay down misere' as far as I'm concerned. In some areas around here even drought resistant plants aren't surviving and there is nothing attractive about bare dirt and dust.

Cheers

 

[Refugee]

I use a square of it over my real grass to practice my golf chips. More durable than the real thing in that regard

 

[GolfNut]

biased but informed

ok take this for what its worth but i own Enduroturf as mentioned in the thread earlier. All i can say is that its getting much better (synthetic grass) and when you compare it to having dead grass, its better than nothing... Over the past 5 years we have grown incredibly and now are all over Australia. It is certainly an option - not for everyone and thats fine, but when you compare it to dirt, dust, weeds, bindies then at least its an option. costs about the same as paving and lasts about 15 years. feels very soft and if you buy the right product it can be very hard to tell wether its real or not - until you get your nose on it

okay that'll do - thanks and happy days

 

[redsquash]

How does $85 a square metre sound to install? A telephone quote this morning .
I just think tenants in general don't really care about the look of a property,nor wish to spend time on another persons backyard

 

[sailor]

How does $85 a square metre sound to install? A telephone quote this morning .
I just think tenants in general don't really care about the look of a property,nor wish to spend time on another persons backyard

Sounds like I would get better value for money if I spent $85/SM on paving. However, some fake grass trimming might add an "edge" of style. IMHO tenants don't look after garden maintenance no matter how maint-free it is designed. I'd rather put in fake grass and replace it every 15 years, than have to pay a gardener to look after the real thing.

 

[BayView]

What does the artificial grass get laid on top of?

 

[Ausprop]

a new build I did recently had a free front landscape package and the topic of this plastic lawn came up as I was commenting what a good idea it was. The landscaper told me that she had sent several people out to go and have a look at the suburb and pick out what variety of lawn they liked best. they kept picking a house that was - you guessed it - plastic lawn. They were quite surprised when they were informed that the lawn they had picked was not in fact lawn!

 

[GolfNut]

What does the artificial grass get laid on top of?

you lay it on a crushed rock base (crusher dust). It must be packed solid and then shaped to allow majority of water to drain away - like paveres
cheers

 

[cgw]

Fading

Does it fade. Just about everything in my yard has.
But I think the good stuff looks like the real thing.
When it see it, I always touch it to see if it is real or not, as I am thinking of it too.

 

[Tizzy]

There's a house in my street where the top end artificial lawn has been installed and it looks fabulous a year down the track. I guess their front lawn isn't "high traffic", it has a fountain in the middle and normal garden beds down both sides. It really looks wonderful and I have seen the plastic fake look of grass available in the 1980's and it is quite different.
It is still costly so I'd probably only put it in a high end rental or a PPOR. I wouldn't consider it for the verges. It would be just my luck some hoon would decide to do a circle burn out on it!!