RIP Lawnmower, Hello Artificial Grass

[fastwunz]

And where do you think all of that run-off goes? Now it contributes to down-stream flooding. If your lawn had been laid properly, with some french drains and a sand layer between the turf and clay, it would have drained just fine. All you have done is passed your problem on to someone else!! Your response actually demonstrates why plastic carpet in your back garden is not a great idea. Its called NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) for a reason.

thank you for taking the words literally out of my mouth.

 

[krooton]

I have no problem with it, though when we can afford it (just doing the outside grass areas at the front and side of house), we are using the top-end astro-turf.

Got loads of samples from various suppliers, 'blind taste tested' them with the missus (we both agreed that the most expensive didn't actually look the most realistic) and will go with that.

I hate mowing, and we will be paving over most of our backyard (again, when funds allow), leaving a small section of grass where the cherry blossom tree we planted is, and adding some flower beds to that section.

Being lazy with mowing is fine if it is just your backyard, but our front and side of house are in public view, so letting it get too scraggy is a bit of a no-no. We still have flower beds along the actual walls, so still places for bugs n whatnot to chill, plus I basically have woods over the road from me.

 

[bazzabear]

And where do you think all of that run-off goes? Now it contributes to down-stream flooding. If your lawn had been laid properly, with some french drains and a sand layer between the turf and clay, it would have drained just fine. All you have done is passed your problem on to someone else!! Your response actually demonstrates why plastic carpet in your back garden is not a great idea. Its called NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) for a reason.

Wait - so if I had grass with proper drainage beneath, that would have been absolutely fine. But because it's artificial lawn with proper drainage beneath, it's causing a huge problem?

There isn't 'run-off' because all the land surrounding me has the same issue with the clay and is largely flat. There's basically storage of the water within the gravel and sand until it dries out.


You guys will literally use any angle, and switch between them at will to try to claim owning an artificial lawn is akin to shooting baby elephants.

I'll repeat it again: This thread seems to have gone the way of so many internet discussions these days - a thing is either exactly what you approve of, or it is evil incarnate.

 

[OspreyO]

Mines the same. To fix it I would probably have to excavate the lot, and put in stone then soil above and drains. French drains wouldn't be enough.

 

[LeeUK]

Do you feel the same about patios and decking too…..or is it just artificial grass???

and what about houses being built on old schools or football pitches etc etc is that ok too???

You can still have an established garden with a patio/decking area without ripping the whole garden out and covering it in fake grass, concrete, and straight lines.

 

[chroniclard]

Decking is awful though.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

 

[Welshman]

You can still have an established garden with a patio/decking area without ripping the whole garden out and covering it in fake grass, concrete, and straight lines.

You can also have a well established garden with the use of fake grass too………

 

[sigma]

Some people are so lazy, can’t even be arsed to push a lawn mower around for an hour or two a month. Ridiculous.

Can’t be bothered to put some effort in to help drainage or repair your own garden. Ridiculous.

Yay, let’s stick concrete and plastic everywhere!

 

[SimonR]

Wait - so if I had grass with proper drainage beneath, that would have been absolutely fine. But because it's artificial lawn with proper drainage beneath, it's causing a huge problem?

There isn't 'run-off' because all the land surrounding me has the same issue with the clay and is largely flat. There's basically storage of the water within the gravel and sand until it dries out.


You guys will literally use any angle, and switch between them at will to try to claim owning an artificial lawn is akin to shooting baby elephants.

I'll repeat it again: This thread seems to have gone the way of so many internet discussions these days - a thing is either exactly what you approve of, or it is evil incarnate.

Actually it seems like it has gone the way of 'The Donald' if I say it enough times that it didn't happen, then it didn't, the new 'Alternative Facts'. Like I said NIMBY

 

[bazzabear]

You got concrete in your garden? Fine.
Stone slabs? Fine.
Gravel? Fine.

You've got some plastic grass in a place where you couldn't grow grass anyway because your dogs would destroy it every winter? REEEEE! You're literally Hitler!

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Another claim that experience shows quite the opposite.
My rear garden was thick clay, and flooded badly with every rainstorm when it was grass. Now it's artificial lawn, with the correct gravel and sand layers beneath, it doesn't flood at all.

If you're going to go to all that trouble of gravel and sand and levelling and drainage you may as well just lay turf on top instead its about as much work...

You got concrete in your garden? Fine.
Stone slabs? Fine.
Gravel? Fine.

You've got some plastic grass in a place where you couldn't grow grass anyway because your dogs would destroy it every winter? REEEEE! You're literally Hitler!

Theres nothing fine about any of that lot its all hideous lol

 

[chroniclard]

Wait....patios are hideous now? Can we draw up a chart of what is and isn't acceptable so we are all following the guidelines.

 

[fastwunz]

I used to work in Ealing and acton and landlords would fill terraced Victorian houses with as many people as they could, completely concrete the entire back garden, build a garage and then fill it with more people.

the issues with drainage were painful.

 

[Delvis]

Wait....patios are hideous now? Can we draw up a chart of what is and isn't acceptable so we are all following the guidelines.

They're going to hate my thread when I make it, a good half of turf has been taken up now

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Theres nothing fine about any of that lot its all hideous lol

Level 10 reached, somebody had to do it

 

[bazzabear]

If you're going to go to all that trouble of gravel and sand and levelling and drainage you may as well just lay turf on top instead its about as much work...

You got concrete in your garden? Fine.
You've got some plastic grass in a place where you couldn't grow grass anyway because your dogs would destroy it every winter? REEEEE! You're literally Hitler!

I keep saying it, but people keep ignoring it so they can continue their one-eyed agenda.

Theres nothing fine about any of that lot its all hideous lol

It gets better. So, we're to assume that your land - from the brickwork of your house to the very edge of your property - is unending greenery? You have no paths, drives, hardstanding, patio, decking?

 

[Maundie]

This has taken a massive leap from "I don't really like fake grass" to "OMG you've literally killed the planet!!!!!", whilst I don't personally like fake grass and prefer my lawns (they literally resemble clover fields at the moment and on dry days have masses of bees and other insects on them) and now I've got a battery lawn mower take less than half an hour to mow them both I appreciate that some people can't have a green area for many reasons (a few have actually been stated in this thread) and also don't have the willpower/want to keep maintaining a garden.

 

[Johno please?]

I was sat in our garden today, watching both bumble and honey bees busy around the alpines in our border.

They didn't seem discouraged by the artificial grass.

The sparrows keeping an eye on my from the guttering didn't seem to be hovering on the edge of starvation either.

This thread seems to have gone the way of so many internet discussions these days - a thing is either exactly what you approve of, or it is evil incarnate.

It doesnt take a genius to figure out that birds, hedgehogs etc, eat worms and other things that are found in lawns. Thats why its stupid, if you dont care then cool say that, dont try to justify your lazy position though.

 

[Pentland]

It doesnt take a genius to figure out that birds, hedgehogs etc, eat worms and other things that are found in lawns. Thats why its stupid, if you dont care then cool say that, dont try to justify your lazy position though.

that’s exactly the blinkered view that’s being talked about.

I have artificial turf and get foxes, badgers, hedgehogs birds bees etc all visiting my garden. There are plenty other sources of food and ecosystems for them off the “turf”.

You seem intent that people are lazy or inconsiderate having artificial turf but blind to the possibility that people cannot have real grass. E.g., they may be elderly or disabled and unable to tend a garden, their garden may not be amenable to grass.
Many of the anti artificial turf brigade here seem very ready to condemn but offer no facts or data to support their statements or to even contemplate there may be another side to the story either.

Anyway, I’ve said it before, sure, like or dislike the aesthetics of artificial grass but if you are condemning the environmental impact without considering the individuals or your own overall impact on the environment, you best be squeaky clean before throwing stones.