Is Artificial Grass Better?

The upkeep and maintenance of your lawn can sometimes be challenging, having to keep it trimmed down and looking presentable and healthy all the time. For some people, this is too much and a time consuming task that they’d rather be without. However, there is an alternative. Artificial grass solves all of these problems, along with providing a whole lot of other benefits too. There are factors to be considered in both artificial grass and natural grass as they both have their strengths and weaknesses, but it ultimately comes down to what you prefer and which will make your garden look flawless.

Appearance

We like our gardens to be neat and presentable, and while some invest a lot of time in their gardens, others prefer to be without the hassle and want this to be quite an easy job with minimal maintenance required. If you are somebody that likes to spend time working on their garden so that it looks great, perhaps you grow lots of different plants and flowers, and have things organised and separated, and like to make sure that the appearance of your grass is in line with this. This is much easier with artificial grass, as less work is required and it tends to stay in pretty immaculate condition all of the time. 

Although real turf looks amazing when you first lay it down, naturally, grass can get muddy and patchy, especially during spells of bad weather. Not only can this be a pain to fix, but it also makes your garden look a little scruffy if it gets out of hand. However, you don’t really find these sort of problems with artificial grass, as it is designed and made to cope with all conditions and remain in tact and looking clean and tidy.

Maintenance

Real turf is easy to lay down and looks perfect in your garden, however when it is first laid down, it does require a lot of maintenance as it needs regular watering and looking after. This means that in the early stages things are pretty hands on and you need to invest a lot of time and effort in helping it flourish and allowing it to properly root into the soil. As the turf settles over a period of time, the amount of upkeep needed will be less, however this must be a consistent effort on a regular basis in order to keep it in the best condition possible, including things like mowing the lawn, strimming the edges, and removing any weeds. That being said, if for whatever reason your lawn does become a little neglected and you don’t quite give it the care and attention it needs, it should still be able to recover naturally and get back to its original condition.

On the other hand, the biggest appeal with artificial grass, is the minimal upkeep that is required to keep it in good condition. It is very different to natural turf in that it doesn’t need looking after as such because it doesn’t need to be cut. Furthermore, it remains the perfect green colour all year round, and can’t fade in any way, nor can it be dug up which is particularly appealing if you have pets. Although it is artificial and has all of these perks, it is still made in a way that it looks as natural as possible. Furthermore, although maintenance is minimal, it does still require some occasionally, like being watered, and cleaned if there are any stains or dirt.

Cost

Artificial grass is essentially a one time investment. After you purchase it and get it laid down and settled in your garden, there won’t really be any further costs necessary, until it needs to be replaced. On the other hand, depending on how much care and effort you put into your garden when you have real grass, this can be quite a bit more costly.

Lifespan

If you invest in the right kind of turf, it will definitely serve you well and last for a long time, providing it is looked after and kept in good condition. Realistically, the only way real grass would be of no use anymore would be if it was severely neglected and damaged, as this would completely ruin the condition of it. So, as long as you give your lawn the right care and attention, natural turf will last for a very long time. 

Artificial grass lasts for around 10 years on average, making it a pretty worthwhile investment and a good decision for your garden. It removes stress and the need for maintenance yet keeps in great condition for all of that time. The thing that really determines how long your artificial grass will last you, is the way it is installed, therefore we strongly advise getting a professional to do it for you.

For more information or if you would like to speak  to us about any sort of garden design, simply get in touch with us via our contact page and we will be more than happy to help!