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Turf
Laying & Lawn Seeding
In Ireland, lawns are used in the garden
for many different purposes and their position is
determined by their function. Lawns can be a showpiece
in their own right, a foreground to set off attractive
plantings of flowers and shrubs, a pleasant area for
walking and relaxation or a playing surface for children
and adults.
When designing your garden a lawn should be positioned
so that it links well with other features in the garden.
It should forms a unifying part of the whole design and
its shape should be in keeping with the style of the
garden. A symmetrical, square, rectangular or circular
lawn surrounded by regular paths or flower beds is
appropriate for a formal setting but an informal,
irregular design giving the garden a pleasing fluidity
will generally be more suitable.
In a designed garden, lawns are often
carefully sited so that they lead the eye to a focal
point such as a specimen tree, garden seat or an
ornament. First
class lawns can be established either by sowing seed or
laying turf. Seed has the advantage that it is cheaper
and a greater variety of grass species is available for
specific purposes. Turf has the great advantage that the
lawn can be created and used almost immediately.
Whether the lawn is established by seed
or turf, the ground must be prepared thoroughly. The
site should be cleared of all large stones, rubble and
tree roots. Perennial weeds with fleshy underground
roots must be eradicated, either by digging and hand
picking in small areas or by the use of an appropriate
weed killer.
Top soil should be at least 20 cm deep
and should be free draining. If the land tends to be
very wet or waterlogged, a system of clay or perforated
plastic drainage pipes should be installed at the
preparation stage. Optimum seeding rate varies depending
on the mixture used but is likely to be in the region of
35 grams per square metre.
Use a rake to lightly cover the seed with
soil. Similar
careful ground preparation is required where turf is to
be laid. Wildflower areas are another design option for your garden
and the good thing about wildflowers is that they do best
in poor soils where grass may not thrive. Please
contact us today for a free consultation about your
landscaping project. |
