Our artificial grass

That does look rather smart and as you said, the aches and pains have vanished. Do you have any animals? I was wondering if an animal likes or hates it.

No Charleygirl, unfortunately not now. I don't know anyone with an animal and artificial grass, but a friend , who is thinking of having a dog, is also considering changing her grass. The only thing is, if they have a puppy, he/she may be a digger!

Think it looks lovely, and would love something like that. However, we have two rescued greyhounds who use the lawn as a toilet, however many times we take them out. So I don't know how clearing up would work.

Did it take a lot of preparation or was it relatively easy to do?

Looks very good by the way!

It chills me. Had you put this in Gardening section the replies might have differed (but nobody agrees with me so who knows)?

You have concreted over your garden except it is fake green. No worms, no wildlife.

The cost of a gardener might have been more sympathetic to the little creatures who keep the world turning.

Please, stop doing this to our bees and insects

Some people Pollengran are allergic to grass and find looking after it and mowing it to be a real hardship. I think auntiflo has a right to do what she likes with her garden (my son has done this with his postage stamp garden). Unfortunately, more and more houses are being built and areas paved over due to increased demand for housing. Personally I love trees and wild flowers but not everyone can cope with a lawn which needs lots of tending.

"concreted over", *pollengran? So you reckon those are plastic shrubs in the borders? . Golly!

It looks great flo. My son has constructed a putting green with some. Longer 'grass' with an inner circle of very short stuff near the pin. It's great fun!

I don't know where to start with your lecture. Even a postage stamp garden does give sustenance to wildlife and there are plenty of new owners who understand this, even if your son has chosen not to.

Auntie Flo can do as she pleases. She has chosen to take the option that suits her, but I disagree with it.

You sound very aggressive to the idea of understanding the need for green space and the need for wildlife despite your proclaimed love of it.

We're all entitled to our opinions, but it is kinder to express them gently. My understanding is that soil remains under artificial grass. Our former neighbours had it and showed me how it allowed the rainwater to flow through, when they lifted a corner it seemed the worms were alive and well. Not needed here - I can't cut a lawn but live in a managed development and the grass is cut for us. If we didn't it could be different. I'm pleased it has worked for you Auntiflo, if memory is correct you thought long and hard about it, enjoy the freedom from worry about grass cutting .

I don't much like artificial grass either bu I'm not stupid insensitive enough to say so.

If that's what the OP wants then fine.

To say anyone is stupid and then put a line through it when it comes to wildlife is either someone who wants to have pals on a forum, or someone who has no real undestanding of wildlife.

Look at my name. I almost know my hive by name. I am so upset by this lack of understanding, I really am.

Don't replace a lawn with a carpet, and grow all your plants for wildlife. Please!

Your garden looks very tidy and cared for. No more back breaking mowing, raking, oversewing etc.

Hope you gave a wonderful Emerald Wedding Aniversary.?

Look PG you're starting to get on my nerves. If you want to go round raining on people's parades then don't be surprised if people call you on it.

And you'd be very surprised at my 'wildlife' credentials I can assure you.

Pollengran I have noticed your posts in several groups and you are very dictatorial. Personally I like a wildlife friendly garden too, and that is what we have, but if others find it easier to have artificial grass then that is fine, good heavens perhaps they have some flowers in pots for the bees, who know's? Regarding dogs( someone mentioned this). I have a friend with two large dogs who love their artificial lawn, and all she does is pick up, and hose down.Chill out a bit Pollengran we are not here to be dictated to.

Lovely Auntieflo, I too have artificial grass and it is the best decision I made. There is no concrete under the lawn, just soil and a membrane. I did place big pots with lavender on the patio so that the bees can enjoy it. My front garden has real grass but delivery people insist on trudging across it so it may eventually go too.

I disagree with fake grass and you say I am getting on your nerves? Thats not nice. What are your wildlife credentials? I don't like you either by the way.

Oh, not you as well Iirina. Don't whip me!!

Neither is it nice PG when someone wants to share something that had given her pleasure, and it is already a fait accompli, to be do dogmatic and put them down. To repeat your own words back to you 'that's not nice'

You need to practise putting your point across in a more acceptable manner.

It would take too long to list my environmental (as I'd prefer to call them) credentials but I just love your retort 'I don't like you either!'

Am I allowed to say "oh shut up" without being reported Anya?

Fake grass is bad for the environment. It is ugly, it is lazy and insects do not thrive in it.

Forums have different viewpoints, but YOU like a bully become personal. YOU need to go to bed and look at the nasty insult you posted for no reason other than to make another poster feel bad.

Iirenna.. No words worth printing.

Well, I am a bit wary of artificial grass, but would not say never to it if I could not manage the garden any more or afford to pay someone to cut the grass.
Bees would not be attracted to a lawn which is kept short and weed-free or the weeds cut off before flowering anyway. If you have to have artificial grass for any reason, surrounding it by bee-friendly flowers seems to be a good compromise.

Or grow a flower meadow instead!

I could report your post for accusing me of being a bully. But I'll let it stand so that others can judge for themselves who of us is suggesting you could have been more tactful and who is rushing to judgement on another poster.

And who is exactly making another poster feel bad if not you?

Your new lawn looks lovely Auntyflo, will be great to just look at it without having to mow it. I have thought of artificial grass on our front garden. When we moved in it was covered, not very well, in gravel to use as car parking. We had that lifted and turf put down but the chap didn't put enough top soil down and the stones kept working their way through it. After a bit of work and a few years it now looks much better so we will leave it alone.
By the way, is it only me that sees the bees fluttering around the flower borders rather than over the grass? Only saying, off to find my tin hat.

Personally, I don't like fake grass but nor did we like mowing the lawns front and back weekly for most of the year so we have had the lawns hard landscaped. We have pots galore and have planted the borders (lots of them!) with insect friendly plants. I invite you to come and sit in my garden and see how alive with bees it is. We also have loads of birds.

Its all very well loving wildlife pollengran but a little gentleness to humans wouldn't go amiss. It fairly obvious from her post that auntieflo is one of our older members and you have no idea how her health is as far as lawn mowing is concerned.

I was just about to make your point kittylester. If Auntiflo and her husband are to celebrate 55 years of marriage they must be well in their 70's so if artificial grass makes life easier for them then so be it.

Happy 55th Wedding Anniversary!!