A few decades ago, scraggly artificial grass (also known as astroturf) was mainly used in public spaces, but in the last 10 years it has become more and more popular for use in private gardens.

Lawns as a concept are slightly ridiculous, especially in our modern era of environmental consciousness. However, there is a social status associated with having a perfectly manicured lawn – plus they’re nice to play on, and you can easily lounge around or arrange furniture on them.

But real lawns require a lot of upkeep and can be a big hassle. This is partly why artificial lawns have been gaining in popularity in recent years. But is having a big plastic cover on your garden actually a good idea?

Read on to find out about the complete list of benefits artificial lawns can bring, as well as some of the biggest criticisms of them.

What are the benefits of getting artificial grass?

The main reasons why people choose to have artificial grass instead of the real thing is that it requires a lot less garden maintenance and generally are less of a hassle to have and keep. They are also cheaper and tidier than real lawns.

Artificial lawns can simply be be cleaned with non-bleaching detergent on an ad hoc basis, rather than needing regular mowings, so you’ll save on oil. You may still need to pick out some weeds, as they can grow through the plastic covering. However, you can spray pesticide as much as you like without worrying about killing your lawn.

How much does fake grass cost?

The cost of artificial lawns has risen in recent years from between £20 and £40 per square metre to £60 to £75 per square metre.

This means that if you have a garden of 20 square metres, you’ll be looking at an overall cost of somewhere between £1,200 and £1,500.

This is a high initial cost, but many fake grass owners say that their lawn has paid for itself within a few years due to the offset costs of mowing, watering, fertilising and the time spent doing all of these things.

Can I lay artificial grass myself?

According to The Guardian, approximately half of artificial turf owners lay it themselves. You just have to make sure that you lay the strips in the same direction, and that they are well-joined together, but it’s certainly a DIY project you can take on yourself.

However ,it’s good to know that you’ll have to put down sand first and it needs compacting which can be noisy – but that’s nothing compared to the noise created by strimmers and lawnmowers throughout the summer!

How long will they last?

Artificial grass is supposed to last for 15 years when well maintained, although in general, companies that supply artificial lawns guarantee against fading for five to ten years.

This is one of the biggest issues with fake lawns – though this will be less of an issue if your grass gets a lot of shade.

Is fake grass right for my garden?

The short answer is that it depends. The long answer is that if you have a particularly sloped garden, fake grass won’t be right for you. It’s best for small, flat areas. However, the really good ones will work well for large areas, too, but the initial costs will be higher.

You can choose what it looks like – whether you’d like for the grass to be long, luscious and green as in late summer, or similar to a putting green.

Artificial grass is best suited to shady areas, so take that into consideration for your garden. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance option that only requires hosing and brushing to clean, and you don’t live in an area that requires a lot of biodiversity conservation, this may be a good option for you.

Is it bad for the environment?

The answer to this question depends on how you look at it. Polluting fuel and chemicals are needed to produce artificial lawns, though you can choose types that use recycled plastic to reduce the carbon emissions of production. Look for eco-friendly versions if you’re concerned.

An unavoidable issue, however, is that plastic lawns don’t support local ecosystems. Granted, natural lawns also aren’t the best of options (a permaculture garden might be, in this case) but many people feel that plastic lawns do more damage than good to the environment.

I hope that leaves you a little bit better informed when it comes to artificial lawns, but when in doubt, speak to a professional gardener! You can find different ones near you when you visit www.getagardener.co.uk.