Natural or Synthetic Grass?

Aesthetics:

There are rarely complaints about the aesthetics of natural lawns; you’d be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t agree with the beauty of a well-kept lawn. The main trouble today with maintaining a natural lawn is keeping it well watered even with frequent droughts and the rising cost of water. However with the right knowledge and some research it is definitely possible to keep a lawn green throughout the year, using a minimal amount of water.

As synthetic grass originated from sporting surfaces, performance was always its most important feature. Over as its popularity has increased over the years manufactures have begun to refine the turf’s appearance. Today there are various different types of artificial lawns that look very realistic, although on closer inspection their certain, plastic shine tends to give them away.

Artificial and natural grasses feel quite different, but many soft and comfortable varieties can be found in each type. A key difference is that artificial turf will warm up in the sun, while natural grass will stay cool. In fact natural turf can be up to 15 C cooler on a hot day in comparison to paving or bitumen and significantly helps to cool down your home. On the other hand synthetic grass doesn’t attract bees and therefore can be great for people suffering from grass or insect allergies.

Maintenance:

A natural lawn will potentially last forever providing it is maintained properly. It does require maintenance than artificial grasses though by way of regular mowing, fertilising, watering and weed control. Synthetic turf should last around 15 years in a landscape setting before needing to be replaced.

Artificial turf isn’t completely maintenance free though; it requires brushing, grooming and refilling around twice a year to keep it the blades upright. You’d most likely need to hire a contractor to do this, unless you purchased the right equipment and both options can be expensive.

Environmental Impact:

Natural lawns obviously require regular watering, moving and fertilising which can introduce unused chemicals into the environment.  Natural grass also acts as a filter for rain and collects water into the soil, instead of allowing it run off down the street. Like other plants it also removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere as well as other pollutants.

Synthetic turfs don’t require the application for water or fertilisers but can manufactured from plastics which contain petrochemicals. Generally speaking, they are transported long distances whereas natural lawns tend to have short shelf lives and therefore can only be transported shorter distances.

Affordability:

Natural turf will cost around $25 per square metre to supply and install, depending on base preparation. Whereas synthetic grass will cost you upwards of $75 – $100 per square metre to supply and install including base preparation.

The upside with the artificial grass is that it costs very little to maintain after it’s installed, whereas natural grass will have on-going maintenance costs. However studies have shown that after the initial investment of synthetic grass it will take over 10 years before it ‘pays for itself’ compared to natural lawn.

So what’s better for you?

When investing a in a lawn there are many various factors to consider and ultimately you should make the choice that will best suit your family. Unless you are suffering from allergies, natural lawn is the clear winner, as after just a little bit of work you reap not only aesthetic rewards, with a luxurious lawn but also gain the environmental benefits.  Natural lawn is also more economical and with the correct maintenance can last a lifetime.

Superior Lawns Australia

Superior Lawns Australia is renown across Australia as leader in lawn excellence providing consistent quality and outstanding service. We are dedicated to excellence when it comes to lawns, we love what we do and understand the important benefits that a lawn can provide to your homes, your lives and our environment.  We provide you with only the top class products, so you can guarantee your new lawn will be of superior quality.

So contact Superior Lawns today to enquire about our range of Ezy Slab turfs to find the one most suitable for your garden.

Call us on 1800 695 296 or
Email us enquiry@superiorlawns.com.au