I hate grass – the kind you mow :)

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › I hate grass – the kind you mow :)

kingdragonfly

7019 posts

Uber Geek

#283934 21-Mar-2021 11:53

I’m going to cement in most of the grass to match my driveway, about 40 sq. meters

Except for sections “A” and “B.” For that, I’m going to turn “A” into native bush.

I want “B” to look nice and be maintenance free. I was thinking of garden tiles. It’s about 35 sq. meters, 3.5 x 10.

Any suggestions / alternatives?

1 | 2

Affiliate link

Affiliate link: NordVPN allows you to securely access the Internet, encrypt your connection and keep your browsing history private.

gzt

13595 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2677851 21-Mar-2021 12:08

The main reason I dislike concreting grass areas is, this increases noise reflectivity. So, I'm going to try and talk you out of it ; )

- New astroturf type stuff can be pretty good
- Moss!

It's a relatively small area so I'd suggest looking at replanting it with a grass variety that is much easier to manage.

BlinkyBill

1443 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2677852 21-Mar-2021 12:13

Will definitely decrease the saleability of your property.

Eva888

1087 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2677902 21-Mar-2021 12:23

Consider re-sale effect of cement. Many people like grass and if it’s concreted over it’s a major job to rip up and replace. Grass appeals to families. Are there pipes running under that area that may one day need maintenance after an earthquake or blockage? Simpler would be to use some sort of tile that can easily be pulled up leaving a few spaces for shrubs. Think of the aesthetics that would appeal to a buyer before making permanent changes. It might be your forever home now, but life can suddenly change and since this is a main asset you want it to appeal to the majority.

kingdragonfly

7019 posts

Uber Geek

#2677905 21-Mar-2021 12:41

What kind of grass needs the least mowing?

Dairyxox

1590 posts

Uber Geek

#2677907 21-Mar-2021 12:47

Some options for you to think about...

treesforcanterbury.org.nz: Creating a lawn alternative with native plants

Stuff: How can I cut down on lawn mowing?

Bunnings: 10 great alternatives to a grass lawn

Homestolove.co.nz: 6 low maintenance alternatives to a lawn that won’t break the bank

NoMow.co.nz: Lawns & Groundcovers

reddit: /r/NoLawns/

kingdragonfly

7019 posts

Uber Geek

#2677908 21-Mar-2021 12:51

Fantastic links, especially
treesforcanterbury.org.nz: Creating a lawn alternative with native plants

Eva888

1087 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2677909 21-Mar-2021 12:55

kingdragonfly: What kind of grass needs the least mowing?

Clover stays pretty green and doesn’t grow high thus mowing is not as necessary. Bees love it when it flowers and it spreads and smells nice but...a lot of people think of it as a weed in their lawn. Personally I love when it takes over since it’s green and soft when all the rest of the grass is brown and dry.

richms

25156 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#2677913 21-Mar-2021 13:19

council have coverage limits which along with cost is stopping me doing everything here with concrete, but gravel is an option too.

Richard rich.ms

FineWine

2353 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Nurse (R)

Lifetime subscriber

#2677914 21-Mar-2021 13:29

Dichondra repens, (Mercury Bay weed), has leaves that become tighter when walked on. My brother swears by it. Got rid of his mower years ago.

iMac 27" [14.2] (late 2013), Airport Time Capsule 5th gen, iPhone13 x 2, iPad6, iPad Mini5, Spark Smart Modem 1st Gen

Panasonic TV Viera TH-L50E6Z (1080p), Panasonic Blu-ray PVR DMR-BWT835, Yamaha AVR RX-V1085 [6.1 Surround Speaker System], Apple TV 4k 64Gb (2nd gen)

Kia Sportage EX (2019), Mazda Demio (2001)

The difficult we can do immediately. The impossible takes a bit longer. But Miracles you will have to wait for.

Scott3

2780 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2677922 21-Mar-2021 14:45

richms:

council have coverage limits which along with cost is stopping me doing everything here with concrete, but gravel is an option too.

OP definitely needs to look into this. Many councils have limits to the amount of non-permeable (roof's and concrete) and semi-permeable (deck over soil etc) surfaces on your site. Many modern builds are pushing the upper limits.

In short, soil with grass / vegetation on it will soak up some rainfall before water starts to run off. A non permeable surface like a roof or a concrete surface will almost immediately send all the rain that lands on it to the storm-water system. The latter is more taxing on council storm-water management infrastructure.

Some councils allow the use of rain water retention tanks in place of grass etc. These are quite popular with developers trying to squeeze more dwellings and carparks onto small sites.

I understand your reasons for wanting to get rid of grass, but think options other than heaps of concrete should be considered for aesthetic & drainage reasons.

kingdragonfly

7019 posts

Uber Geek

#2677934 21-Mar-2021 15:47

I changed my mind about concreting the front lawn / garden tiles. I think I'll resod it with something that doesn't doesn't grow like crazy like my current grass.

I'm in New Plymouth. Oddly the soil seems more spongy / bouncy under foot than anywhere else I've experienced.

Water doesn't seem to be a problem. I'd rather put in sprinklers than mow, it it got severe.

gzt

13595 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2677935 21-Mar-2021 15:49

FineWine:
Dichondra repens, (Mercury Bay weed), has leaves that become tighter when walked on. My brother swears by it. Got rid of his mower years ago.

Tiles of it available in Aust: https://www.planttiles.com.au/native-dichondra-lawn-a-winner/
Looks really nice.

Dairyxox

1590 posts

Uber Geek

#2677936 21-Mar-2021 15:53

kingdragonfly: I changed my mind about concreting the front lawn / garden tiles. I think I'll resod it with something that doesn't doesn't grow like crazy like my current grass.

I'm in New Plymouth. Oddly the soil seems more spongy / bouncy under foot than anywhere else I've experienced.

Water doesn't seem to be a problem. I'd rather put in sprinklers than mow, it it got severe.

Good onya 👍. Concrete is not great for the environment or aesthetics.

kingdragonfly

7019 posts

Uber Geek

#2677939 21-Mar-2021 16:10

I came across this article: Cutting the grass? Cut it out!

To be clear I don't like the look of knee-high meadows, even if it's environmentally friendly.

Eva888

1087 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2678025 21-Mar-2021 17:01

Does anyone know the name of the grass that grows on the foreshore of Kapiti around the play area. That stuff seems to grow across rather than upward and feels like a very thick soft carpet. It doesn’t appear to ever be mown. I’d grow it in a heartbeat.

Good decision to ditch the concrete. You could also do a dense planting of shrubs around the perimeters to shrink the grassed area to a small patch in the centre enough for a picnic or a few deck chairs. Higher bushes at the road side. Griselina is a native and a nice dense tree that can also serve as a hedge to shelter and give privacy to the grassy bit.

1 | 2