PROJECT PLANNING - Lawn care

FROM LUSH ON-TREND LOOKS TO GENERAL MAINTENANCE, WE ASKED THE EXPERTS HOW TO SHOW YOUR LAWN SOME LOVE

- MILLIE HURST, JAYNE DOWLE, GINEVRA BENEDETTI

So you want a lush lawn that provides the perfect setting for a summer of barbecues and social gatherings S (and the envy of all your neighbours)? Remember, that it's unlikely this will happen naturally without a little help, but lawn maintenance is certainly not an arduous task either. 'A healthy lawn is a happy lawn that can be enjoyed year after year,' says Timothy Greene, grass expert at icanlawn.com. 'And keeping your lawn healthy doesn't have to be a difficult job.'

CUT IT WELL AND OFTEN

'Mowing the grass regularly throughout the summer is one of the most important aspects of lawn care,' says Jack Sutcliffe, co-founder at Power Sheds (power sheds.com). 'Not only does it keep your lawn looking neat and tidy, but it also promotes healthy growth.' If you have 'let the garden grow' and your lawn is looking a little unkempt, fear not. 'Ensure your mower is on a setting that will cut around 25% of growth, and leaves around three centimetres of grass length,' says Jamie Shipley, gardening expert and managing director at Hedges Direct (hedgesdirect.co.uk). 'If your lawn is cut too short, there is less leaf area to take in oxygen and sunlight, slowing root development, and the blade could also damage the crowns of the grass plants.'

NEED TO KNOW 
HOSEPIPE BANS

These days, they’re a regular occurrence, so here’s what to do to save your lawn: 

COLLECT ‘GREY’ WATER Make use of as much household water that would usually go down the plughole to top up your lawn. For instance, while you wait for your shower to heat up, position a bucket to collect the water, and transfer it into a watering can to tackle dry patches on your lawn.