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02 Sep 2015

Landscaping: The grass can always be greener

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As more people than ever in the UK are deciding to ‘fake it’ each year, could an artificial lawn be the practical finishing touch that your self-build project is missing? James Gilmartin, Director of Grono Lawns, discusses how the growing trend for artificial grass is sweeping the nation.

Over the last few years the artificial grass market has been booming in the UK, with celebrities such as John Terry choosing to replace their lawns with an artificial alternative – and it’s easy to understand the appeal. As a nation we are increasingly time poor and the benefits of a lawn that requires minimal maintenance speak for themselves – it gives you the chance to spend more time enjoying your outdoor spaces rather than tending to them! However, the many advantages of artificial grass go far beyond just saving time.

For those of us with children and animals, we are all too familiar with muddy footprints on the carpet as we watch our beautiful garden become worn and patchy from all those enthusiastic playtimes. With artificial grass, a muddy and tired-looking lawn becomes a thing of the past, allowing kids to enjoy the outdoors all year round and giving you peace of mind that they won’t be creating a mess or spoiling the lawn.

Modern artificial grass is also much more durable and will withstand even the most vigorous of football matches. An occasional sweep with a power brush or jet wash will remove any debris to keep the grass looking clean, as well as ensuring that the pile keeps looking rich and full. Most suppliers are so confident with the lasting quality of products that they’ll provide an extensive guarantee for their products, just like our Grono promise which includes a 10 year guarantee on all of our range.

Solution for problematic plots

For others, a difficult plot or inconsistent weather conditions can prove to be a challenge and prevent you from growing a beautiful green lawn to complement your home. The wrong soil conditions, or even too much shade from surrounding trees, can turn your outdoor paradise into a living nightmare with patchy, weed-filled or mossy grass, driving even the most green-thumbed amongst us to despair.

Thanks to continued developments in manufacturing techniques, nowadays some artificial grass products are practically indistinguishable from the real thing - offering the same luxurious green colour and soft, bouncy feel underfoot. Where you might have previously been faced with the choice between a lacklustre lawn or going without, realistic-looking artificial grasses provide a welcome alternative which allow new possibilities for garden landscaping.

As with all the different elements of your project, the key to getting the most out of artificial grass is correct and quality installation. Whether you choose to do this yourself or hire a landscaper to lay it for you, the manufacturer’s installation guidelines should always be followed to ensure a quality finish.

At Grono, we run regular training days through our School of Grass, which we set up to share our knowledge and expertise by helping landscapers and self-builders to develop their installation skills. As some attendees are novices learning for the first time, and others more experienced but looking to brush up on certain skills, the sessions cover a range of different stages and techniques suitable for all projects, whether basic or complex.

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