Broadleaf Carpetgrass – Is It the Right Grass for You?
This perennial warm-season grass is an appealing choice for homeowners in tropical parts of Australia – especially northern Queensland. With excellent shade but poor drought ...
Did you know that natural turf is actively playing a role in fighting Climate Change and is a natural sponge for carbon dioxide.
FACT: Each square metre of turf removes 2.5kg of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
FACT: The average Aussie city lawn produces enough oxygen to support between 12-18 people.
Research has quite clearly shown the proven benefits of green space, particularly turf and why having it featured in both your front and back yard has massive benefits for your wellbeing and the environment.
Soft leaf, low maintenance, drought resistant, fire retardant, tough wear and tear are just some of the great traits that are offered from different lawn varieties.
Most importantly, installing a new lawn is far more cost-effective than many other alternatives you may be considering for your front or back yard.
In addition to serving as the home base of your outdoor lifestyle, as mentioned above, there are dozens of social and environmental benefits to owning a healthy, well-maintained lawn.
Did you know that there are more than 11,000 species of perennial grasses on the planet? Grasses grow naturally on every continent and in almost every terrestrial ecosystem. They feed the world’s growing population – four of the top-five food crops are grasses and three of these provide nearly 60% of human’s caloric intake worldwide.
In fact, properly maintained turf grass does more for the environment than most other plants. In addition to owning a special space to build memories with friends and family, you can also enjoy these benefits of turf grass.
The natural green space created by your lawn promotes physical exercise, improves mental health, for your children and fur babies it creates a cooling effect around your home, acts as a natural water purifier and can also act as erosion control.
Lawns are also a lot more than just grass but an interaction between the natural environment and the constructed urban and suburban space.
In many suburban areas, there are bylaws in place specifying that houses must have lawns and must have proper maintenance.
Lawns have been proven to have a cooling affect. During our intense Australian summer heat, grass can be up to 30°C cooler than artificial grass and 14°C cooler than bare soil.
But it does not stop there – the average front lawn has double the cooling capacity of air conditioning with no toll on your electricity bill!
The cooling effect of lawn is also greater than trees and is on par with open bodies of water.
Did you know? In an urban landscape, lawn captures 90% of atmospheric carbon dioxide, followed by 9% by trees, and 1% by shrubs.
Studies have also proven that having a well-maintained lawn as a perimeter around your home can help significantly in bushfire scenarios.
During firefighting operations, areas where maintained lawns and other non-combustible surfaces (such as roads, paths and driveways) are prevalent and sought out by fire crews as suitable areas from which to set-up for defence of life and property.
Natural grasses improve the air we breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses, while releasing oxygen. One recent research paper documented that lawn grasses account for 50% of the carbon captured in one entire city.
Natural grass also acts as a filter to capture pollutants found in urban and suburban areas before they reach lakes, rivers or groundwater. This natural groundcover also manages storm and rainwater so that ecosystems remain balanced.
Some of the world’s best soils are developed and evolved under perennial grass cover. Grasses deposit carbon into soils through their extensive, fibrous root system, which improves soil structure, air and water holding capacity, and overall productivity.
In today’s urban ecosystems where native soils are disturbed or destroyed, perennial grasses naturally restore soils to healthy conditions. In fact, many Australian grasses – such as the Zoysias – meet the Erosion Control Australian Standard No# AS5181: 2017 – Use and installation of turf as an erosion, nutrient and sediment control measure specifications.
Installing a new lawn is far more cost-effective than many other alternatives you may be considering for your front or back yard. In fact, it has long term cost savings and is cheaper than other ground covers such as tiles.
Natural turf is also less expensive than synthetic grass which contains toxic chemicals and rubber than can be leached into our soil.
A healthy lawn also absorbs airborne pollutants and acts as a barrier between harmful substances and waterways. Just 200 square metres of lawn easily supplies enough oxygen for a family of four.
Lawn also reduces noise by absorbing sound especially in urban areas.
Research has found that greenspaces (such as turf) offer significant and sustained improvements in mental health.
A fresh green lawn gives a sense of enjoyment, especially when tending to a living thing. Self- satisfaction and happiness from looking at a nice garden is one huge benefit of a freshly mown lawn.
Maintaining a lawn is a great way to stay fit. Caring for the lawn burns more calories per hour versus other household activities.
For an 80kg person, 60 minutes of raking burns 351 calories verses 60 minutes of weightlifting which burns 254 calories
Turf grass offers a low-cost way to provide safe recreational surfaces for kids, pets and adults.
Family picnics, adult gatherings and backyard sports are all bonding experiences – especially during the Australian summer. In surrounding suburbs and town, quality parks and sports fields build community pride and provide endless interest and entertainment.
Lawns are typically a major component of any highly valued home as landscaping a property properly can increase the value of a home by 10% to 18%.
A National Survey of Real Estate Agents found that “ … a nicely presented lawn can boost your home value by up to 18%”.
Natural turf also improves the rental value of a property.
In Australia including homes, parks, sports field and roadside, natural turf is valued at $6 Billion to just one city.
The very best turf fit for your situation is an important goal for us at myhomeTURF, we will take the time to put you on the right path to the right lawn.
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