Style DEC (01.12.16)

26 Style | landscaping
Love
Your
Lawn
Landscape architect Craig Wilson
looks at the options
and benefits of artificial lawns.
Landscaping projects can generally
be broken down into two distinct
components: the ‘hardscape’ and the
‘softscape’. A key element of the ‘softscape’
in Canterbury residential gardens is the
humble lawn. Our childhood memories of
backyard cricket, making daisy chains and
backyard summer picnics were all made
possible by the green slab of lawn that Dad
mowed every Saturday afternoon.
For the landscape designer, a lawn is
a valuable tool in creating a restful open
space with strong contrast to the texture,
layering and form of garden beds and
the hard precise lines of built landscape
elements. In summer, an expanse of a lawn
is a welcome cooling element in sharp
contrast with the reflection and glare of
hard surfaces.
The ideal lawn has been often viewed
as a weed-free ‘monocultural’ wonder
and is often the pride of its watchful
owner. However, the effort to create this
impression is not for the faint-hearted and
requires a strict year-round schedule of
irrigation, fertilisation, spraying, de-thatching
and mowing.
If you want the look but don’t want the
work, a viable alternative to a traditional
‘browntop and fescue’ lawn is one of the
many artificial turf products available. The
term ‘artificial’ never sounds good and is
enough to put many off. However, it is
increasingly becoming the lawn of choice –
even here in ‘lawn proud’ Canterbury.
The benefits of artificial turf are obvious,
but worth the time to mention. Firstly,
you don’t need to mow it much… and
secondly, it looks as good all year as the
day it went down. For the homeowner
who travels and wants to come home to
pristine lush green without the thought
of mowing ankle-length lawn, it can be a
no-brainer. It can also be a great solution
to that problematic shady area where
you’ve tried and tried unsuccessfully to
get a lawn to establish and ended up with
mud time and time again. Perhaps most
importantly, as our water supply and
consumption continues to gain deservedly
heightened awareness, artificial turf requires
no irrigation and will be a lovely, soft green
even in the harshest drought.
Artificial turf will never be everyone’s
cup of tea, and it’s hard to beat the feeling
of a healthy dense green swathe of grass
between your toes on a summer’s day.
But be aware of ‘lawn envy’ this summer –
your neighbours’ lawn may not be all you
imagined it to be.
EXTENSIVE RANGE OF QUALITY TILES
Including Outdoor Tiles
Looking for Xmas gift ideas?
We’ve got it covered! Come and view
our fabulous range of imported
designer curtain and furnishing fabrics,
cushions and selected homewares.
www.fabricsatlincoln.nz
3 Gerald Street, Lincoln
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
Saturday 10am-1.30pm
Phone 325 7400
Check our facebook
page for late nights
Over 30 years experience
Onsite tiler to give expert advice
Extensive range of tiles to suit both indoor/
outdoor
Open Mon-Fri 7.30am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-3pm,
Sun 10am-3pm, Public Holidays 10am-3pm
Visit our showroom today
www.tilemax.co.nz
280 Annex Rd, Middleton, Chch.
Ph: (03) 343 3893
Email: chch@tilemax.co.nz