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Product: Goliath Artificial Grass

Have you ever considered the low-maintenance option of artificial grass in your garden? The idea of a gorgeous, green lawn all-year-round is becoming more and more popular lately. There are many reasons you might choose this as an alternative, or just as an addition to smarten up your outdoor space. Here we show you the pros and cons of laying this in your garden to help you decide if this product is right for you.

Pros…

It looks great!

As shown in the above photo, if you like a garden with a minimalistic look; containing little to no plants or borders around your garden, artificial grass can look really smart. The above garden looks particularly neat as the decking leads straight to the artificial grass, which then stretches out to the surrounding fence. You can then add things like decorative stone or garden ornaments later on to add a personal touch and a splash of colour.

Low Maintenance

A great benefit of artificial turf is that there is very little up-keep in comparison to real grass. Artificial turf won’t ever need to be mowed, watered or fertilised, making it particularly popular for elderly or people who are less able to maintain real grass. It’s also a nice option for anyone who spends long periods of time away from their home for work, or people who own holiday homes, as this gives them the peace of mind that they won’t return to an over-grown jungle!

There is also an eco-friendly element to this; lawn mowers use a lot of electricity and the water consumption for sprinklers left on over night or hosing your garden every day is very high in an average UK garden. Artificial grass can therefore save you time, money, water and electricity, potentially being kinder to the environment.

Pet Friendly

The artificial turf we sell really does look and feel like real grass, therefore, pets such as dogs and cats still find this a comfortable place to sit or lie on and bask in the sun. Our artificial turf is durable, meaning it won’t be destroyed by extra-playful dogs who like to dig holes in the ground!

When laid properly, artificial grass should have good drainage, so in the Winter months where we might experience snow, this usually drains away easily, so pets can still explore the outdoors and go to the toilet outside. Throughout any time of the year, your pet’s urine should drain away. Any other mess will just need to be picked up as usual so the grass remains hygienic.

Child Friendly

This is becoming a popular alternative for parents with mini explorers running around. This makes an ideal play area for children as it won’t get muddy or wet after rain, so kids can still kick a football around without ruining their shoes or stepping mud everywhere! It creates a soft landing as opposed to paving or decking, so placing this under climbing frames or swings is a good idea in case of any slips or trips. Also, it’s durability means it won’t get ruined when placed under playing equipment; real turf would discolour if it is covered by outdoor toys, whereas artificial turf will remain beautiful and green.

Creates a Feature

You don’t have to commit to artificial grass across your whole garden – some people just have a small patch as a feature so they know that part of the garden won’t need watering or mowing. If you still want to connect with nature, you could even have half of your garden with beautiful, fragrant flowers to attract nature, and the other half as a low-maintenance feature, maybe with decorative stones or a garden ornament to look at. This way, You can still have a green area to set out a table and chairs even after it has been raining, while still having fresh plants to admire.

Less Mess

Maybe you have just invested in a new hot tub for the Summer evenings, or maybe you’re the BBQ king who tries to cook al fresco when the sun is out, or maybe you just don’t like the thought of dirt and bugs in your outdoor space… Artificial turf could be the answer!

With a hot tub, it needs to be placed somewhere solid and somewhere that isn’t exposed to dirt and bugs. However, if you’ve just had a stunning patio laid, it would be a shame to cover some of that up. That’s where artificial grass comes in. This offers a firm base for your hot tub, with good drainage should any water splash out the sides, as well as looking like a tropical, spa paradise. It also offers a softer, non-slippery surface when you get out bare foot, instead of a hard, cold patio.

And for BBQ kings… artificial turf offers a firm, level surface to place your cooking equipment on, knowing your BBQ won’t get dirty or muddy after it has rained recently. When it comes to dropping food on the floor, you know that you can pick it up and easily wipe it away to keep the turf clean, whereas on a normal turf, it may attract all sorts of uninvited guests!

Cons…

Environmental Factors

Although you may be saving the planet by conserving water and reducing the use of chemicals and electricity, you may be contributing to more landfill. Although artificial turf can be made up of recycled materials, and should last around 10 years, ultimately it will end up in landfill. The manufacturing process of artificial turf is also somewhat un-economical, creating some pollution and waste in the process.

Un-friendly for some pets

If you’re considering buying smaller outdoor pets such as rabbits or guinea pigs, this may not be the best choice for you. Of course, you may just have a small section of your garden that has artificial turf, but these small creatures like to graze on fresh grass when they are let out to roam the garden, meaning artificial turf would be un-suitable for these furry friends.

Low maintenance doesn’t mean no maintenance

Unfortunately, there is still some up-keep involved with artificial turf. When dining al fresco, there are some products that can potentially stain the grass such as sauces and red wine. However, a stain remover should remedy these spillages.

Although there should be a good level of drainage through this permeable material, if you do have pets that go to the toilet on this grass, it’s a good idea to use a sanitiser, especially if you have children too. We recommend Azpect’s cleaner and santiser to keep your lawn clean and smelling super fresh, which can be purchased in-store.

Weeds still may find their way through – it’s not un-common to find patches of weeds growing through your turf from time to time. Therefore, any weed killer should be applied twice a year to keep these at bay.

We hope you enjoyed our article on the pros and cons of artificial turf! You can find out more about our artificial grass here. For more information, call our friendly team on 01202 874207 or visit us in-store!