While synthetic grass often gets a bad wrap, we have to say that when applied correctly, quality astro turf can be the perfect solution for your backyard. It is a good choice for those who want less maintenance than regular grass, with plenty of options to cater for pets and the style of your garden. A quality turf looks great year-round without the frustrating upkeep, making it a realistic alternative to a natural lawn. Coolaroo Fresh Cut Synthetic Turf If anyone is interested in learning more about quality synthetic turf check out our range: http://www.coolaroo.com/synthetic-grass

I read a lot about synthetic turfs and decided to not go for it . Planning to level up use grass pavers and go with real grass rather. Just FYI here as someone else might find it useful. I found this video after weeks of research ! Of course in YouTube and Google. I was alarmed at the effects that prolonged exposure to these kinds of materials can cause to our children and our community. I wanted to bring this to your attention so you would be aware of the side effects if you were planning for synthetic turf in any of the school areas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEVeAmqHTSM https://www.center4research.org/children-athletes-play-toxic-turf-playgrounds/ We r still going to use HDPE type paver plastic underneath but covered by real grass and pebbles ! . still a much greener option and life time is minimum 20 years plus made from r cycled plastic. Looking at cirtex or turf grid pavers.

Hi everyone, I know you have laid your turf now, but for others in a similar situation, I have found that 'Paspalum vaginatum' is a fantastic alternative to the buffalo and Couch varieties. Its non invasive, very shallow root systems and takes shade and full sun. As its is highly salt tolerant, its a great cost effective alternative around swimming pools and helps keep the temperature down around the pool, so kids can run around with bare fee. It looks fantastic in summer, doesnt get woody and looks pretty good throughout the winter months. Although I have no experience with fake turf I have heard that it can get very hot and smelly, making it difficult to enjoy for little feet during the hot summer months. Hope this helps :-)

Agree with how2girl re the preparation of surface for the grass. Laying grass on the pavers would not be a soft surface. And unless you have shade structures installed then grass would be undesirable for a child to play on. Also agree with Dr retro regarding planters against balustrade, this would not be safe with an inquisitive toddler. The follow is on a web site. Install it direct. 1. Cover all or part of your lawn with shade sails to block direct sunlight, reduce heat absorption and provide a shady spot to rest or play. 2. Install a retractable awning that you can open on very hot days to shade your lawn. 3. Rinse your synthetic lawn with a garden hose to quickly reduce the surface temperature. 4. If you need to cool off your artificial lawn quickly before guests arrive, put up a portable canopy to provide shade over the area that feels too hot. 5. If you have a sprinkler system, you can run the system for a few minutes to cool off your lawn quickly. Adding shade to outdoor living or entertaining areas is likely something you would do anyways, since most of us prefer hanging out in the shade on hot days. So if you are concerned about artificial grass getting hot, you can simply make sure your backyard design includes some shade over one of more parts of your lawn. Additionally, synthetic turf tends to cool off quickly, so even if it warms up on a very hot day, you will notice the surface temperature immediately begin to drop as soon as shade is introduced from clouds, the sun going down or setting up a canopy.