A flourishing garden with a beautiful green lawn is part of the great Australian dream. We all have that one house on our street with beautifully manicured lawns that look like something out of a Hollywood film set. While the grass may look artificial or impossible to achieve, this certainly isn’t true. Lawns aren’t simply an aesthetic addition to a property – they actually have some important benefits. From an environmental perspective, lawns help to purify and cool ambient air. An average front lawn can offer the same amount of cooling as more than two air conditioners, and in addition, they are an excellent source of plant oxygen exchange and provide a natural water filtration system for the environment.
A flourishing garden with a beautiful green lawn is part of the great Australian dream. We all have that one house on our street with beautifully manicured lawns that look like something out of a Hollywood film set. While the grass may look artificial or impossible to achieve, this certainly isn’t true. Lawns aren’t simply an aesthetic addition to a property – they actually have some important benefits.
From an environmental perspective, lawns help to purify and cool ambient air. An average front lawn can offer the same amount of cooling as more than two air conditioners, and in addition, they are an excellent source of plant oxygen exchange and provide a natural water filtration system for the environment.
From a family and domestic perspective, lawns provide a safe play area for children and pets. They also help to absorb excessive noise and stop glare off surfaces. A well manicured lawn can also add significant value to your property.
But lawns aren’t as simple as just laying down some grass. There are a number of different types of lawn, each with its own characteristics and suitability considerations. This article will look at a few of the most popular types in Australia.
Couch
Also known as Bermuda Grass, couch is a lawn with a fine blade and a medium growth rate. It is hardwearing and prefers full exposure to sun. Couch is a popular choice for any application, from sport fields and golf courses to residential yards and gardens. Furthermore, it has a reputation for being highly resistant to weeds and insects, making it an easily maintained, safe choice for the family. There are a large number of varieties of couch, each with slightly different properties. All that’s required to keep it looking at its best is regular mowing and fertilising. Image
Kikuyu
Considered one of the most durable varieties of lawn, Kikuyu is popular throughout Australia due to its tolerance to drought. As a hardwearing, fast growing lawn, it’s one of the most economical types available on the market today. Popular for all applications due to its durability and ability to thrive under harsh conditions, it’s the perfect choice for residential and commercial applications. The downside is that it requires regular mowing to keep it from taking over the yard. Image
Buffalo
Buffalo is a particularly popular choice of lawn throughout Australia. In the past it was recognised for its rough and scratchy nature, but over the years the development of additional varieties have resulted in a very soft lawn with a high level of durability, making it the quintessential Australian lawn. The soft blades and lush composition of Buffalo make it an excellent and favourite choice amongst families, as it has aesthetic appeal all year round and is extremely comfortable to walk and play on. It is able to thrive in cold and shady conditions as well as in areas that may not have the highest quality soil. Offering excellent colour all year round, many Aussie households favour this type of lawn for their front and backyards. Image
Tall Fescue
This type of lawn holds a nice green colour all year round, and can adapt to varying soil conditions and even a cooler climate. Regular watering in the warmer months is a must in order to keep it at its best, however. This variety also performs very well in shady conditions when compared to other types of lawn. While not quite as hardwearing as some other types, it is perfectly suitable for residential recreational areas. Image
Zoysia
Image
This has typically been categorised as one of the cheaper varieties of grass in Australia, but is extremely versatile due to its low maintenance requirements and high levels of drought resistance. It is an economical choice for all applications.
When looking to determine the type of lawn best suited for your property, it’s important to first consider your natural environment. This includes climate, temperature, and foot traffic, as well as shade levels or exposure to direct sunlight.
Once you have a good understanding of this, then consider the primary application of your future lawn. If it’s for a recreational play area then this may require a harder wearing lawn than if it were simply to be used for visual aesthetic. If your kids and pets will be playing on the lawn regularly, then you may wish to opt for something softer. With a number of factors affecting each of the main lawn varieties, it’s important to prioritise the intended use of your lawn, and then consider this against the nature of your local environment.
Finding the optimal balance of conditions and practical use can be difficult, but if sufficient thought and effort is put into this, you can install a lawn that will provide value and enjoyment for years to come. Some lawns can be mixed in single applications to create a hybrid of sorts, in order to better serve an application. This can, however, add another level of complexity to the equation so consider it carefully.
