Play Lawns to Ornamental Lawns
There are three main blends of grass seeds that will cover your requirements for looks and usability. They are readily available as grass seed but you may only find two available as turf. If your lawn has to cope with dry or shady conditions see the next post.
The Family, Utility or Play Lawn
Usually a predominantly rye grass seed or turf mixture for utility areas, play lawns, high use areas and for people who want their lawn care ‘as easy as possible’. See Lawnsmith® EASYGREEN.
Ups
- Apart from mowing and feeding this has few demands
- Extremely tolerant of use and abuse from kids, dogs and summer BBQ parties!
- It’s the quickest to establish and easiest to repair
- Not the finest of leaf but has a lovely dark green colour and stripes up a treat if you’re using a mower with a roller
Downs
Will stand up to the British summer just fine but if your soil or location is very dry and you still want an ‘easy’ lawn then a mixture with Rhizomatous Tall Fescue such as Lawnsmith® STAYGREEN would be better. Rye grass doesn’t like salt or extreme wet either so once again try a mixture with Tall Fescue – see the Drought Tolerant Lawn on the next page for both situations.
Summary
For a no fuss, easy repair, hard wearing good looking lawn this is it!
The Gardeners or Landscapers Lawn
This lawn ticks all the right boxes from beauty to useability. So, if you enjoy the garden and don’t mind a little effort in the lawn care department this mixture will satisfy the proudest gardener. See Lawnsmith® CLASSIC Grass Seed
Ups
- Usually a mixture of 5 or 6 grasses enabling good growth in most conditions
- If you don’t mind a little dwarf rye grass (I love it) as part of the mixture then this makes it a fantastic looking lawn
- Modest demands. Apart from mowing and at least one feed it will only need raking or scarifying perhaps once in every 2 to 3 years
- Similar to mixtures sold as Canada Green Grass Seed but more suited to the UK climate.
- A strong lawn that will handle regular use and recover well
Downs
Apart from not being a ‘very fine’ leaved lawn there isn’t one – it’s that good!
Summary
If you want a beautiful looking, medium fine lawn allowing regular use without the demands of a ‘bowling green’ this is it.
The ‘Enthusiasts’ Lawn
This is generally sold as ‘luxury grass seed’ or ‘luxury garden turf’ leading you to believe you’re buying a quality seed or turf for a superior lawn. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with quality but refers purely and simply to the type of grass which, in this case, would be ‘fescues’, the fine bristle like grasses that are used extensively as bowling and golf course grass seed. See Lawnsmith® ORNAMENTAL Grass Seed.
It makes a cracking good lawn but………
Ups
- Fine bristle grasses for that close mown appeal
- In the right hands can look magnificent
- For the enthusiast whose hobby is the lawn
Downs
- Though this grass grows slowly it is a heavy maintenance lawn
- Needs scarifying at least once a year and monthly aeration if used
- Best mown every few days with a cylinder mowing
- Will show up any lapse in care
- Can suffer on clay or alkaline soils
- Will not tolerate high use on loam or clay soils
- Requires constant hand picking of invading ‘weed’ grasses to maintain looks
- Feed little and often. This means seasonal feeding at the lower end of the recommended fertiliser application rate
Summary
If you have the time, money, machinery and dedication there isn’t anything better.
Buy Lawn Seed Mixtures Featured in this Article
More on Creating a New Lawn
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![Seed vs Turf]()
Creating a New LawnThe range of types of grass is generally far greater with grass seed than turf thus allowing you to have exactly the right type of lawn for your needs
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![Turf & Seed Quality]()
Creating a New LawnThe freshness of garden turf or lawn grass seed can be checked quite easily. Be careful with so called luxury garden turf - it may not mean what you think it does!
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![Dry or Shady Lawns]()
Creating a New LawnIf your garden is dry, poor soil or has a lot of shade planting fescues and particularly rhizomatous tall fescue grass seed can be very useful
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![What is the best Looking Grass for Lawns]()
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so the nicest grass for your lawn in the UK will be an individual choice based on stripes, greenness and fineness of leaf.
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![Seed & Turf Quantities]()
Creating a New LawnGarden turf is not cheap so you need to measure accurately. With grass seed being so much cheaper you can afford to be generous when sowing a lawn from seed
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![Planning the New Lawn]()
Creating a New LawnIf you get this part right the grass will be easier to maintain and cause fewer lawn care problems. Timing is also important when sowing grass seed or laying turf
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![Preparing the Ground]()
Creating a New LawnProper preparation of the ground for a new lawn will reward you with years of problem free lawn care, easier mowing and a beautiful healthy lawn
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![How to Sow Grass Seed]()
Creating a New LawnWhen you plant grass seed do it correctly and at the best time of year to ensure success. Moisture, warmth and fertiliser are the essentials
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![How to Plant Grass Seed for Guaranteed Success]()
A step by step guide on how to prepare the ground, sow your grass seed, protect and nurture it to create a brilliant lawn in a matter of weeks.
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![How to Lay Turf]()
Creating a New LawnWhen you are laying turf do it methodically and at the best time of year to ensure success. Start by rolling out and laying the first row of turf grass to form your border
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![All about Grass Seed Germination]()
Creating a New LawnPlanting and growing a lawn from grass seed requires warmth, moisture and air to ensure success. Learn what's needed for a great lawn in quick order.
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![How to Water Grass Seed]()
Creating a New LawnWatering grass seed is quite different from the way you would water a lawn. The golden rule is never let the seed dry out so frequent light watering is needed.
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![The No 1 Best Way to Protect Grass Seed]()
Covering your precious newly planted grass seed with polythene sheeting is not only an effective protection from birds but also drying winds and torrential downpours. Very cheap, easy to lay and speeds germination.
