January 2017

It is said that a lawn is unsustainable and consumes vast quantities of chemical fertiliser and garden lime to stay viable.  Most organic gardeners refuse to grow them. 

I believe my lawn is sustainable and a net contributor to my garden ecosystem.  The only additive this lawn requires is a little homemade compost each year (about 20 litres sieved as a top dressing in September, and 15 litres of aerated compost tea each month applied as a drench using a watering can).  Irrigation is provided when needed using a sub-turf drip line system.

Because I keep the grass thick, evaporation is not a major problem even in very hot dry weather.  The lawn manages very well with a weekly 2 hour soak in extreme conditions, and 1 hour in more moderate summer conditions.  In the cooler months it usually copes well with just rainwater.

When mowed, it's a very useful source of green (high nitrogen) organic waste for the hot composting system.   I think I get about 400 litres of clippings a year off this lawn.

Rugged red Canna Lillies, blue Agapanthus and Euphorbias look good in the hottest weather, and provide a pleasant setting for the lawn.

These Coleus love the shade provided by my Apricot tree.  I propagate them from cuttings every year in late summer, and keep them under glass all winter before planting them out in spring.