Nothing ennobles the area like a wonderful green grass, playing in the morning with a myriad of sparks of dew or whispering softly in the breath of a light evening breeze. Therefore, a beautiful lawn is an integral part of the arrangement of the yard or garden. A variety of types of lawns will allow you to beautifully decorate any area of \u200b\u200bthe terrain, regardless of the soil, shading or other features. Even with the most complex landscape, the territory can be planted with greenery or give it a blooming look.
Lawn classification
Classification of lawns and the characteristics of each type will help determine their choice when arranging a site near a house, cottage or areas requiring landscaping. Depending on the functionality, grass surfaces can be divided into three main groups:
- decorative;
- sports;
- special.
The ornamental turf group has many types and is the most popular. Grass of this type can be seen near houses, cottages, parks and other places of recreation. It is made up of special plant species that, thanks to their very fast growth, create a dense carpet of magnificent greenery.
Sports turf is made up of very hardy grasses. They are used on fields intended for sports or competitions.
Special grass surfaces are not only for landscaping. They perform certain functions, which determines where they are used.
Basic lawn selection criteria
The current market can offer a variety of types of lawns, the correct choice of which depends on the harmony of the entire landscape design. There are several criteria, guided by which each owner of the site will be able to equip the most suitable lawn:
- it is important to determine the function of the lawn: will it be purely decorative, intended for recreation or for sports;
- you need to find out what is the degree of shading of the area intended for the lawn;
- availability of free time for lawn care: some types of turf need systematic trimming;
- availability of funds: the price of the arrangement depends on the quality of the materials used;
- what types of turf will be used: perennial or annual, natural or artificial.
For complete confidence in your choice, you can read reviews of grass surfacesand at the same time learn the features of caring for them. It would be useful to consult a specialist who will help you choose the right lawn. Lawn types, turf grasses and their mixtures have unique qualities that should be considered. Since the cost of these herbs is quite high, it does not hurt to make sure that the company you buy them from has a good reputation.
Types of ornamental lawns
Depending on the purpose and mixtures of plants used for turf, ornamental lawns can be divided into several types:
1) Parterre is a very high quality lawn that requires careful maintenance. To create it, low-growing grasses with thin shoots and delicate leaves are used: thin and shoot-bearing bent grass, perennial ryegrass, red fescue and other types of grasses. They grow and bush very well, thanks to which this type of lawn has a high density and a velvety surface that suppresses the growth of weeds. You can find different types of lawns on the site near the houses, but the parterre is always located in the most prominent places. It perfectly combines elements of landscape design and perfectly emphasizes the architectural features of buildings.
2) Park lawn is commonly used for landscaping parks and gardens. It is slightly inferior to the ground floor, but still has excellent quality. The grasses that are used to obtain this type of lawn are of the same color and are of high density. To obtain a mixture, seeds of such herbs are often taken: meadow mint, forest or flattened,perennial reygrass, sheep and red fescue, team hedgehogs. To obtain a dense, uniform turf in places of shading, white clover seeds are added to the composition. The park lawn is resistant to trampling, which allows it to be used in recreation areas.
3) Meadow lawn is often used for landscaping gardens, parks or recreation areas. The mixture is made up of cereal grasses with the addition of seeds of some flowering meadow plants. Shearing is carried out about twice a year. To create a bright meadow cover, a mixture of Mauritanian lawn is added to the composition of the seeds.
4) Almost all types of lawns used in the country house or near the house require mowing. And if there is no time for such care? Then the Moorish lawn would be an ideal option. It is also called flowering, because in addition to cereals, it also includes flowering herbs. To make such a lawn look bright for a long time, plants are selected that replace each other during flowering periods. The mixture usually includes lupins, cornflowers, chamomile, poppies or other flowering herbs. It is worth noting that such a lawn is not suitable for the front part of the yard: flower beds, alpine slides or other design elements will be invisible against its background.
Characteristics of sports pitches
Sports lawns are created from cereal grasses that can withstand heavy loads and recover very quickly. The composition of the mixture used for landscaping a field or site directly depends on the sport. For example, for a football field, they use red fescue, meadow bluegrass and bent grass. These plants create a dense coating and,regardless of weather conditions, they germinate quite quickly.
To create a cover on the tennis court, one type of grass is used. The field must be absolutely level, and the grass must be cut low.
When equipping golf courses, they often use a lawn from a combination of different types of fescue. Herbs of this species are quite unpretentious, they tolerate shade and drought very well.
For arranging a sports ground near a house or a summer house, you can use any kind of lawns intended for sports fields. After all, their main quality is resistance to trampling, and this will allow you to have a beautiful platform for sports activities.
Special turf functions
Special lawns are created for specific purposes. On slopes and slopes, grasses with a very strong root system are used. This strengthens nearby soil.
Special lawns are characterized by the ability to absorb harmful substances in large volumes. Because of this quality, they are often used near gas stations, roads and railways, and industrial enterprises. They also absorb noise very well, which has led to their use near airfields and helicopter sites.
Laying the lawn
The laying of the lawn should be treated very carefully. The final result will depend on the quality of its implementation. It can be divided into three stages:
- ground preparation;
- sowing;
- service.
The first stage is quite laborious. For the arrangement of the lawn, you need to plow the earth and clean it of roots and debris. This can be done by sieving the soil. It is important to ensure that the fertile soil layer is at least 20 cm. This will ensure good growth of the grass cover. The area to be worked must be absolutely flat. It must be rolled in.
The next step is weed control. The easiest way to get rid of them is by treating them with herbicides of complex action. You can also clear the soil by systematic plowing.
The soil intended for the lawn also needs to be fertilized and watered thoroughly. This is best done two weeks before sowing so that the soil is well saturated with useful substances.
Immediately before sowing, the earth must be loosened. This can be done with a rake. Seeds can be sown manually or with a special seeder. The second option will allow you to get a uniform distribution of seeds throughout the territory and ensure the beauty of the future lawn. This plays a big role if you prefer combined types of lawns, photos of which can be seen below.
The first shoots will appear in a couple of days, and in three weeks the earth will be covered with delicate greenery. When the grass reaches a height of 10 cm, you need to carry out the first mowing. Mowing must be done in dry weather so as not to damage the turf.
Rolled lawns
If for some reason it is impossible to grow a lawn, or if the owner of a house or cottage wants toarrange a garden or yard as soon as possible, you can order a rolled lawn. It has been grown in nurseries for several years. When the sod grows well, the grass with the top layer of earth, in which its rhizomes are located, is cut using special machines. After that, the turf is rolled up and delivered to the customer.
Rolled lawn is unpretentious, since the grass cover is completely formed in the nursery. It also does not have weeds, and only lush velvety grass will please the eye. Such a cover is very convenient to use on terrain with difficult terrain.
Types of rolled lawn
Like seed lawns, there are different types of lawns, depending on the mixtures of grasses used and the intended purpose:
- decorative;
- sports;
- special.
Any type of grass cover allows you to green up the area in a short time or prepare the area for specialized use. It is very advantageous to use roll coating in gardens and yards with a lot of shade. In such places, the seeds germinate unevenly, and the sowing lawn does not acquire the desired appearance for a long time. But the rolled one will immediately delight with thick grass. This is really a great solution.
If the presented types of rolled lawn do not suit the consumer, then he can order a grass cover from a non-standard mixture of grasses. They will best suit his preferences.
How to choose the right turf?
Buying a rolled lawn costspay attention to the quality of the offered goods and directly contact the supplier company to check the condition of the turf. You need to roll out the roll, pick it up and shake it. At the same time, the plate should retain its appearance, not crumble or tear. If the root system is well formed, then the thickness of the plate will be about 9 cm.
It is worth learning more about the composition of the grasses used and the conditions in which the lawn grew. It is very important to make sure that the cut was made correctly and the roots are not badly damaged. Otherwise, the turf simply will not take root.
Laying turf
For laying rolled turf, the soil must first be prepared. It must be cleared of debris. If there are too many remnants of building materials in the ground, then it is better to sift it or replace it with fertile one. It is also worth getting rid of weeds in the allotted area.
After cleaning, the soil must be leveled, loosened and lightly tamped. An ideal horizontal surface will be the key to a beautiful and even lawn. Fertilize the area a week before laying grass cover.
Sod plates are laid in tight rows like brickwork. Each roll is compacted with a special roller. If the lawn is uneven, you need to raise it and add or remove excess soil. Align the edges with a sharp shovel or knife.
It is important to understand that the turf rolls must take root, so the turf should be watered abundantly for 10 days. When the grass takes root, itcan be watered as needed. Two weeks after styling, you need to cut your hair.
Artificial turf and its varieties
Artificial turf has become a great alternative to natural turf. It is used for landscaping places where it is almost impossible to grow natural grass. Artificial turf can be used for more than just open areas. More and more designers are using it in home decor.
There are different types of artificial turf:
- decorative - used in design to imitate natural grass;
- sports - designed for sports grounds.
Artificial turf types are becoming increasingly popular due to their long life and high level of wear resistance. This coating is cheaper than natural, does not require complex maintenance and will be green throughout the year.
Laying artificial turf
Before laying artificial turf, the surface must be cleared of debris. When leveling the soil, a slight slope should be made for water to drain. Lay out the plates with an overlap. This will ensure that the edges match perfectly. If the edges protrude, they can be trimmed and glued with special tape or staples. After that, the coating is lightly tamped. The edges of the lawn can be fixed with special skirting boards or borders. Artificial grass should be watered liberally to ensure good traction.
Knowing all types, types of lawns, you can plant trees and shrubs around the area, giving it a landscaped look. The yard and garden of any house or cottage will look amazing, and its residents will be able to relax on the soft grass or play their favorite sports on it.
