One of the critical discussions that will take place between a Perth-based landscaping company and each of its clients relates to whether a lawn will be part of the landscape design. If it is a landscaped garden with a lawn, several points need to be addressed before the type of lawn is chosen and ultimately planted or installed.
For many of Perth’s residents planning a new garden, the local conditions have to be considered. By using the word ‘conditions’, we specifically refer to the climate and the soil. These are so important to consider because certain grasses will thrive in the hot, dry conditions that Perth’s gardens experience for most of the year, whereas others will not.
By this stage, you might realise that choosing a new lawn for your landscaped garden needs a lot more thought than you may have previously assumed. However, not only will your landscaping company be able to help you, but we have also outlined below some of the core considerations that will assist you in choosing your new lawn and anything else necessary to help maintain your new lawn, including reticulation in Perth.
Key Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing Your Lawn’s Grass Type
One way you can help yourself decide which lawn type to choose is by answering a series of questions. These questions will narrow down some of your choices based on how you answer them. The questions are:
- Does your lawn need to be tougher to withstand some of the activities that will take place on it?
- Do you want it to be low maintenance?
- What time do you have to maintain your lawn?
- How important is safety?
- Will children or pets be playing on the lawn?
- Which is more important to you, the aesthetics of your lawn or the practical use of it?
- If aesthetics, what do you want your lawn to look like? e.g. deep green? Thick turf?
- How do you want your lawn to feel underfoot?
Prevailing Local Conditions
The first thing to consider is the local conditions in and around Perth, with the soil type being the prime consideration. For example, if you live near the coast and your local soil is mainly sandy, you want grass suited to well-drained conditions. Also, think about the long, hot summers that Western Australia has and, therefore, what grasses would prefer shade and which are happiest in direct sunlight.
Maintenance Requirements
All lawns require maintenance. However, the amount required will vary depending on the type of grass the lawn consists of. Here, it would be best to consider your lifestyle and that of your family and whether you or they have the time to maintain your lawn properly. Also, consider how much effort you are prepared to make to maintain your lawn. Once this has been determined, you can select a lawn type with the conducive maintenance needs.
Water/Fertiliser Needs
Given that in Perth, you can have several weeks with zero rainfall during the summer; you must consider the watering and fertilizer needs of each lawn type you are considering. For example, some lawns will thrive by being watered several times weekly, whereas others will need watering daily. The same applies to their needs for fertiliser, with some needing lots of it and others having no need.
Your Budget
As with anything you buy, there will be a budget that is affordable and which you are prepared to pay. That applies as much to your new lawn as it does to anything else you purchase. Apart from the initial cost based on the type and quality of the lawn you choose and its installation by your landscapers, it would help if you also accounted for maintenance costs plus other regular costs such as fertiliser.
