Artificial lawns bring no joy
RE. ‘DEMAND grows for artificial grass’ headline of 5 May.
On reading the story in page 5 of that day, it is alarming that probably 40% of the workload of one turf landscaping business comprises the laying of artificial turf and it is apparent that this is becoming a popular garden trend.
I feel for the children who go out to play on an artificial lawn. A summer picnic on plastic doesn’t have quite the allure of a picnic in natural grass. Where are the dandelion clocks to blow and count the hours? Where are the daisies to make a garland? Running barefoot on a plastic lawn cannot be the same. We do not need to be tidy. A flowering lawn can be a carpet of celandines in February, a magnet for early bees. Swathes of violets and primroses in March will attract the first butterflies, summer months bring daisies, clover and buttercups. If there is no time to mow let the grass grow long and you will be rewarded with the song of crickets on summer evenings and the snuffle of hedgehogs at dusk.
None of this will cost the Earth.
SUZETTE MACDOUGALL
Les Comtes Farm
St Saviour’s