Have you been tempted by this artificial grass craze?

See The State of Nature Report, (http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/stateofnature_tcm9-345839.pdf) headline findings, ” We have quantitative assessments of the population or distribution trends of 3,148 species. Of these, 60% of species have declined over the last 50 years and 31% have declined strongly.” Butterfly Conservation say, “The new analyses provide further evidence of the serious, long-term and ongoing decline of UK butterflies, with 70% of species declining in occurrence (based on the BNM distribution data) and 57% declining in abundance (based on the UKBMS) since 1976.” Even grass is home to many creatures important because they are at the bottom of the food chain. Couple this with the effects on the environment of plastic and run off and it all adds to global warming, pollution and biodiversity in decline. DON’T DO IT.

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John Ward says:

Artificial lawns seem to be the new decking. The material is being heavily advertised and I see more and more examples. Our neighbours on one side have laid panels of artificial grass on their front garden. It looks a bit like a badly-laid carpet where the weft has been laid against the direction of adjacent pieces; also the joins are very noticeable. On the other side the neighbours have dug up all the grass on their frontage and put down an expanse of glaring white chippings which draw attention to the several inspection chamber covers that adorn their front garden . The problem where we live is that the underlying soil is very poor being former heath and scrub [broom and gorse] mixed with woodland [Scots pine]. The developers ‘complimentary’ turf was not of the best quality by a long way and after three years in a very dry climate it does not look good with lots of wild flowers and weeds breaking through everywhere. Nevertheless, I persist in trying to maintain a decent lawn at the front with treatment and feeding, and I am reasonably satisfied with the results although it does not have the gleaming appearance of the stone chippings on the right nor the even colour and texture of the unnatural carpeting on the left. I have managed to keep Mr Mole at bay as well although he and I did meet on one occasion. The lawn at the rear of the house is in much better condition because I prepared the substrate thoroughly myself and had a good grade of turf laid professionally, but there are now signs of weed incursion which is the land’s attempt to revert to its natural state.

Ian says:

Do you need an artificial lawn-mower to keep it trim? 🙂

John Ward says:

Good thinking!

I’m not sure, Ian – I haven’t noticed any routine maintenance of the neighbours’ artificial grass and reckon it must be getting clogged with dirt and debris – perhaps a powerful vacuum cleaner is all that is required.

malcolm r says:

The next development will probably be living carpets in our houses. Just unroll and water. Imagine stepping out of bed onto a flowering meadowland, surrounded by camomile in the lounge………..

Many years ago, when Hong Kong started exporting polythene flowers, our next door neighbour surrounded his back and front “lawns” with these everlasting plastic blooms in hollow concrete blocks. I say “lawns” because he had concreted over where the grass had been and then painted the surface green. Clearly he had great foresight.

Our current neighbour has covered his large front “garden” in pink tarmac, but as a concession one corner is a quarter circle of artificial grass. I always feel guilty when I cut my real hedge and bits drop on the astroturf – feel I should get my Hoover out and clean up. However, he has a play area for children at the bottom of his garden also covered in artificial turf, and that has some sense to it.

With all the silly “garden” features we see at Chelsea I think artificial turf is the least of our worries. A step up from covering decent natural ground in pavers, concrete slabs, decking, gravel, conservatories, and anything else that is unnatural and does not drain (except gravel).

Personally I like a natural green area of clover, moss and grass that makes stripes when I mow; that’s my lawn. Each to his own – a garden is supposed to be an outside room and we all have different tastes.

Beryl says:

For me Tom Jones with his rendition of The Green Green Grass of Home says it all. Just to reminisce once again log onto YouTube.com – Tom Jones – The Green Green Grass of Home.

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Beryl says:

Duncan I was never a fan of TJ either. I was referring to the content of the song in relation to the topic. Maybe you would prefer the Joan Baez version!

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malcolm r says:

The “green green grass of home” is a totally artificial creation that came about when this country was deforested to make way for agriculture and grazing. I remember it well.

To just buy artificial grass for one of my lawns, without “fitting”, would cost between £4500 and £9000. That’s an awful lot of visits from a man with a lawnmower to save me cutting a proper lawn, if I cannot do it myself.

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Beryl says:

I pay someone to cut my grass every two weeks but tend the rest of the garden myself. One thing that artificial grass cannot replicate is the heady aroma of freshly mown grass on a summers afternoon. Heaven!

malcolm r says:

I’ve often wondered why we seem to listen to the views of singers, actors and other personalities. Do they somehow have a greater knowledge and insight than the rest of us?

I’ve never thought artificial flowers worth having over nature’s own. Sentimentality perhaps. Watching the Billion pound flower market last night shows just how we buy more and more cut flowers, and the resources going into their production – particularly in Holland and Kenya. A puritanical approach might be to question whether the effort might be better devoted to food production, particularly in Africa. But life isn’t like that. Flowers bring a lot of pleasure and consume (in a limited way) CO2 to good effect. i wonder how much real grass benefits CO2? Sprinkling a small bag of grass seed on your earth seems far preferable to producing green plastic in a factory.

malcolm r says:

And its help with the compost heap, Beryl.

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John Ward says:

I don’t mind artistes expressing feelings through the medium of their art form [even if the lyrics or scripts are written for them], but, as Malcolm queries, I don’t see why people hang on their words so much when not in performing mode. I for one do not accept that “they somehow have a greater knowledge and insight than the rest of us”, and certainly no more than philosophers, politicians and political commentators, scientists, authors and other people who think. I should like to hear more from such people but they never get a look-in with our celebrity-obsessed society.

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Ian says:

I, for one, would be very interested to hear of any US professor jailed in the US, simply for ‘speaking out, Duncan.

John Ward says:

I don’t know what perceptions of American attitudes have to do with the simple point that Malcolm made about life in the UK and on which I elaborated in the light of Duncan’s immediately following comment. I should never have digressed.

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Beryl says:

I think we have veered off topic but to add perspective to your questions about celebrities, log onto psychology today.com – The other side of fame. This portrays some insight into reasons why the grass is not always greener on the other side.

dieseltaylor says:

psychologytoday.com/articles/199505/the-other-side-fame

Perhaps we need as a society to concentrate more on those who have been or are useful. I have always thought the second house of Parliament should be staffed with the elected of the various Royal, and other societies. Just sending more politicians there is a complete travesty.

: ) And to cement the unelected principle let us select 50 people annually randomly to daily attend and even speak. If they are very good the H O L can elect them permanent.

The relevance to the thread of celebrity is I think some politicians are equally addicted to power and wheeling dealing, and limelight.

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Beryl says: