Artificial Lawns

[sjc]

Anyone got one, had experience of them? After 7 years of backing onto woods with trees,foxes,dogs in the garden and a succession of gardeners and "lawn experts" I've had enough. The only time the lawn has ever looked something was when me and the F-in-L was doing it. Now he's too old and I've never got the time, so I'm thinking of biting the bullet and going artifical. Unfortunately I'm sure the cost will make me rethink!
Thoughts anyone, or recommendations?

[retrorider]

My mate pulled his up and had an artificial putting green installed.Really well done and his kids love it...http://www.thegreenapproach.com/

[kippax]

Yep had ours done just over a year ago as lawn was very muddy all the time. Best money we've spent on house so far.

[robbo5]

I dug it all up and put down artificial grass 3 years ago and it still looks good.

The company I used was called asgoodasgrass

[Beardy10]

We had one laid a couple of years ago. We have a south facing garden but we have some big trees at the end of it and also some large palms around the garden so the lawn was actually quite shaded. I had the grass re-laid a couple of times and tried all the normal tactics but still ended up with a load of moss.

Cut a long story short we now have plastic grass and it's brilliant! It's especially good in the winter when my young son was able to play outside on dry days and not get covered in mud. A lot of people think it's naff but when they see it are quite impressed and a couple of people are seriously thinking about getting some laid in their own gardens. YOu can also lay it where grass just wont work i.e. right up against sheds and under trees.

[netherfield]

Had one 6 years now and never looked back,three dogs were killing the old grass lawn.

Nil maintenance,apart from picking up dog poo,the wind and birds looking for nesting material keep it clean.

Just need to be careful if you have a barbecue.

[sjc]

This is great info, thanks to all of you for replying. Doe4sn't seem to be many downsides, other than maybe the costs involved. What sort of size garden have you had it on, and can you still get a stripe effect etc???

[russ_a]

Would it effect the resale? We were looking to buy a house just recently and didn't look at one that was listed as having artificial grass.

I'm not sure why we didn't look but when you have 30+ houses shorted listed, we just crossed of this one due to the grass.

Our grass has been destroyed by the dog and if we hadn't sold the house I was goind to fence off a section of the garden and put slabs down, to keep the dog off.

[D14 AYS]

Dog owners get these http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/cheapest/Dog-Rocks... Brilliant

[Simpo Two]

D14 AYS said:

Dog owners get these http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/cheapest/Dog-Rocks... Brilliant

Amongst the claptrap about strontium and paramagnetism, it says 'Dog Rocks will start improving your lawn within 5 weeks.'

I expect the lawn would recover on its own in that time!

[netherfield]

A stripe effect can be made,when ours was laid it was off a 3 metre wide roll,but it was available in one Metre width,which if laid in alternative directions gives the effect.
Didn't go for that because this was an offcut from a big job.

[peenut]

out of interest, can anyone give a rough estimate of cost for a 5m x 5m lawn?

[Beardy10]

We don't have a stripe effect....didn't really think about it to be honest. We have a dog too and he loves it...luckily he doesn't believe in doing his No 2's in his own garden so no issues with clearing that up!

[sjc]

Beardy10 said:

We don't have a stripe effect....didn't really think about it to be honest. We have a dog too and he loves it...luckily he doesn't believe in doing his No 2's in his own garden so no issues with clearing that up!

Ah, so it's your dog then!!!