LAWNS

Move your cursor over images to the right to view larger image and plant information.

There are numerous lawns available on the market, and there are massive amounts of many spent year to year researching, developing, approving and marketing new turf varieties. Most of the varieties are cultivars of established turf families, such as Soft – Leaf Buffalo or Couches. Cheaper varieties of turf include Kikuyu, which is effective but quite aggressive.

Grass types typically come from 2 groups – seeded turfs like Couch, Rye and Fescue, and stolon or "runners" such as Kikuyu and Buffalo. There are advantages and disadvantages to each; seeded grasses, often used in sports fields and parks can be seeded rather than laid, cutting costs. Cultivars such as “Green Leigh’s Park” Couch are popular.

Soft – Leaf Buffalo grasses, Zoysia and cultivars have been developed to create excellent disease, drought, traffic and shade tolerant lawns for residential gardens.

The following four images have been provided by Ozbreed, a turf and native grass grower & supplier. These grasses are commercially available cultivars and similar popular cultivars such as "Sir Walter" Buffalo should be easy to obtain. For further information call Ozbreed on (02) 4578 0866.

COUNCIL & BASIX

Most Councils publish planting lists which may be available in print, or on their web-site. These lists are commonly known as “Council Preferred Planting Lists”. These lists typically give a good range of native trees, shrubs and ground covers, and are definitely worth viewing.

Basix, or the Building Sustainability Index is State Government policy which may also require the prevision of areas of endemic planting for new development. Plants that satisfy this criteria may be found on the Councils plant list published through the Basix web-site; (www.basix.nsw.gov.au) or from the one-drip rated planting for your region or suburb published on the Sydney Water "Plant Selector" web-site; www.sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/InYourGarden/PlantSelector