Astro Turf

I have quite a lot of lawn which is always a bit scruffy and messy ... but I get blackbirds, magpies, and sometimes green woodpeckers pecking around in it for grubs and ants. Bees forage there when there is clover in bloom. The smell of wet grass or of a freshly cut lawn is something I cherish (and the clippings are great for the compost heap). It's pleasant to sit on, or underfoot.

Some friends nearby have replaced all their lawn with astroturf. To me it looks dead, like having carpet in your garden. They do have a dog, so it may not even be hygenic or fresh smelling. Now that autumn is coming, it's getting clogged up with dead leaves, which are bound to leave debris where weeds will take root.

I can see the problems with lawn, but I wouldn't choose a plastic one myself. If I wanted to avoid lawn maintenance, I'd prefer paving or gravel, which at least aren't fake.

we have it after almost 30 years of trying to sort drainage problems in our back garden,we've spent a fortune and given ourselves a ton of work .Now the "grass" stays tidy has no puddles collecting on it and no need to reseed it every few weeks .It should make life a bit easier and even if it is short term it was worth every penny

Thank you Norah

Yes, I was thinking of a strip as a walkway between the veg, we would probably only need one strip.

The poor worms go into the blackbird's tum - watching a female blackbird having a real tussle pulling one out of the lawn (real, not artificial) today. If we had artificial turf what would the birds eat?

Not keen, we need to help our wildlife as much as possible.

Can't get my head around artificial grass. Where do the poor worms go? Reminds me of a green grocers.

Serkeen, I ask DH, the cost with labour to fit the turf was around £100 to a m2. It is lovely for veg patch paths, not round the individual plants, just the walkways.

I'm with Bluebelle - However, perhaps it could be a good idea to have just a strip between the veg to make picking easier (just the beans)

I rather like the idea of gastro turf, have visions of donkeys and sheep happily grazing on the lawn......

I do not know what DH paid, but it was a lot of work for the flattening the dirt, layer of something, then the turf. The colour in this veg patch paths is quite close to the planted and mowed grass in the garden. I like it because it is clean and easy for walking and pottering about in the veg patch.

This is personal so don't be offended but I can't stand it I think it's bad for the environment and always looks wrong it's just me I don't like artificial things

Thank you for all the information, very helpful

Could I possibly ask about what I should expect to pay, only have a small garden, around 14 by 14

We had our grass replaced with an artificial one, last year. It was professionally laid and there was a lot of preparation, and it was hard work for the chaps who installed it. We have been very pleased, especially as we now no longer have to mow anymore. One word of cauion, it can get hot underfoot in the summer, as I found out when wandering around with bare feet.

We have turf between the vegetable rows; no weeds, clean to walk, ecofriendly by how is was produced, brilliant.

I think it must be quite bad environmentally - apparently it is a threat to wildlife.

My son and DiL have it in their back garden Serkeen It is of a good quality, looks and feels real and is as good as the day they put it down. My DGS is a very keen footballer and their natural grass was almost permanently bald. They also have a little dog and DS just hoses it over with a gentle disinfectant every few days. I think a lot of the stuff you see around is of poor quality and has been badly fitted too. I guess its a case of getting what you pay for.

than, not that. Grrr

We have neighbours who put it down several years ago and now it looks awful - it's faded and tatty and weeds are growing though it, so it may not be more that a quick fix...

I hope you don't have a dog. When we sold our last house one couple said how relieved they were we had a natural lawn as they had Astro turf and two dogs and they told me it smelled awful. I often wonder if they got their house sold! Should be fine if you don't have a dog.

Hi Serkeen, our next door neighbour has just had some of that put down in their back garden, as far as I can see they have had it laid on top of their existing block paving, I think they just had to get the weeds out first.

sooo sorry about the Gastro turf typo