There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all when it comes to finding the right grass for your lawn. Some grasses perform best in particular climates or environmental conditions, some have specific traits that enable them to perform in the way that you require. When choosing a turf variety for your front or back lawn (or golf course for that matter), these factors need to be considered so that your grass will thrive once installed.
To help you through this process Lawn Solutions Australia has put together a simple guide for choosing the right grass for your home lawn.
What Traits Does Your Grass Need?
What is the most hard-wearing grass type?
If your lawn will receive a lot of traffic from pets, kids, or backyard games, choose grass with a high wear tolerance. It is not only important to consider how much wear the lawn will receive now but, in the future, as well.
TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is a great performer in high-wear areas. It has a fast-repairing nature, so when it does get damaged by pets and kids your lawn will be able to repair itself fast. TifTuf is a great hard-wearing option that golf courses can utilise for areas like fairways and tees as well.
Sir Walter DNA Certified buffalo is a great performer for many backyard footy games! It can withstand high wear and will stay soft and lush for you to enjoy.
Another turf variety that has can stand up to high wear conditions is Eureka Kikuyu. Eureka Kikuyu is a vigorous grower and can stand up to a wide range of conditions. It has a fast-repairing nature, so when it does become damaged it is able to bounce back quickly.
What is the most drought tolerant grass type?
TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is the only grass in Australia to be formally recognised with the Smart Approved WaterMark due to its drought-tolerant qualities. TifTuf needs a fraction of the water other varieties require for establishment. It can maintain a green colour under drought conditions where other common couch grasses will fail. Golf courses such as West Wyalong that are in drought-prone areas have seen TifTuf provide superior quality under these conditions.
Sir Walter DNA Certified buffalo too has a high drought tolerance and can stand up to the hot Australian climate. On hotter days, its broadleaf will curl up to help retain moisture. When the lawn does receive its next good water, the leaf will roll out again.
What is the most shade-tolerant grass type?
Soft Leaf Buffalo grasses like Sir Walter DNA Certified in Australia tend to do the best in the shade with most tolerating 50 to 70 per cent shade. This is about three to four hours of direct sun each day, or speckled sunlight from trees for the majority of the day.
Sir Grange Zoysia has a very high tolerance of shady situations also once it is fully established. Shade performance is maximised when wear in the shaded areas is minimal. Many golf courses have utilised Sir Grange on shade-affected holes with pleasing results.
How Does the Grass Perform in Your Climate?
What is the best grass for southern states?
In the Southern States of Australia, including Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Hobart both warm and cool-season turf varieties are ideal.
For climates that do reach higher temperatures over summer but cooler temperatures in winter, have a look at TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. TifTuf has a high drought tolerance that can survive with little water during summer. TifTuf will also be able to recover quicker than other warm-season varieties coming out of winter.
Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo is another great option for the southern states. Sir Walter loves both shade areas and full sun. In the cooler months when there is less sun it can still thrive in areas where other turf varieties will struggle to grow.
In climates that often deal with cooler temperatures throughout the year, a cool-season variety like RTF Fescue is an option to look into also.
What is the best grass for more northern states?
For the sun-loving states, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns and Darwin there is a wide variety of options when it comes to choosing turf.
Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo while shade-tolerant does love full sun. This turf variety does have a high drought tolerance and has stood the test of time in extreme heat and drought.
TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is another great option for the northern states. TifTuf loves full sunlight and can stand up to hot and dry conditions. It is the only turf variety in Australia to receive the smart approved watermark for its superior drought tolerance.
Sir Grange Zoysia is another great grass that can handle full sun and has a high drought tolerance once established.
Eureka Kikuyu is a sun loving turf variety that is best suited to areas where it will receive full sunlight. It is a hardy, fast repairing variety that is friendly on your wallet. Beware however, it can be extremely invasive and does not perform well in shade.
What Goals Do You Have for Your Lawn?
What grass should I choose for a high-end manicured lawn?
Sir Grange Zoysia is a fine-bladed premium turf variety with a beautiful dark green leaf. This grass can either be mown short for a more manicured look, but also can be left unmown for a more textured look. This makes it a great option for sporting surfaces, with it originally being bred for the golf industry where it is used for its versatility and superior ball lie. Sir Grange’s qualities make it an ideal choice for any show garden or high-end lawn.
What is the best grass type to mow low for a bowling green look?
TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is another fine leaf turf variety that looks great when mown low. TifTuf has a dense growth habit and fine leaf. This makes it ideal for regular low mows that are needed to maintain a bowling green look.
Sir Grange Zoysia can also be mown down to 6mm and has a densely matted leaf, great for the bowling or putting green look which has led to it becoming known as a ‘golfer’s grass’. It’s fine leaf and beautiful dark green colour can look like a lush green carpet when maintained. It has a strong, upright leaf structure where a golf ball tends to sit up on top of the leaf rather than sinking into the profile.
Find Your Local Turf Supplier
Lawn Solutions Australia (LSA) are proud turf suppliers of Sir Walter DNA Certified Soft Leaf Buffalo, Sir Grange Zoysia and TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. We’re a national group of certified growers dedicated to providing high-quality turf supplies Australia-wide.
All of our LSA Members are passionate lawn experts, ready to help you select a grass variety that will help you to achieve your lawn goals.
