It was no surprise to see that many homeowners in California were tempted to make the switch to synthetic grass when severe water restrictions were introduced.
Yet, some people have been surprised to see that artificial turf remains as popular as ever, even with lighter water restrictions now in place. Anyone expecting to see natural grass make a comeback now that the drought in California is over will soon see that this isn’t going to happen.
So, what is it that has made synthetic grass so popular here, that it is now seen as an interesting and useful alternative even when the water is running more freely across the state?
It Looks Just as Good Regardless of the Water Situation
There is no doubt that artificial turf comes into its own when there is a lack of water for one reason or another. The fact that it doesn’t need to be watered like natural grass is a huge plus point when there isn’t enough water to go round.
This means that synthetic turf stays looking perfect when the natural grass has started to struggle badly due to a lack of watering. However, this isn’t the only time that the artificial grass comes out as a clear winner in terms of appearance.
The truth is that this kind of turf looks fantastic at any time of year and in any sort of weather. It is easy to forget that heavy rain can also damage natural grass, while the excellent drainage offered by the synthetic option means that this isn’t going to be a problem.
All in all, it doesn’t matter how much water is flowing and what the weather is like. An artificial lawn will stay looking as good as ever all year round no matter what nature throws at it.
Great for Kids and Pets
Perhaps the tough water restrictions had an unexpected positive effect, with many parents discovering that artificial grass is a far better option for the kids to play on. Even if they only made the switch because of the drought, they soon discovered that this is the perfect surface for the youngsters to play their favorite games on.
When it is professionally laid, a good artificial lawn will give a perfectly flat and even surface where kids of any age can have fun and stay safe. Best of all, it drains so well it can also be used as soon as the rain stops, so there is no longer any need to stay indoors waiting for the grass to dry.
It is also worth mentioning that there is no danger of the little ones churning up the grass when they get out there to play. This is also one of the reasons why it is such a good type of lawn for pet owners who want to give their beloved animals a great place to play.
A Low Maintenance Option
It is easy to concentrate on the watering aspect and forget about the other maintenance issues that are involved in maintaining natural grass at home. Even when there are no water restrictions in place, it can be time-consuming and expensive to get a perfect lawn that you are proud to show off to the world.
On the other hand, artificial turf looks amazing with virtually no maintenance at all. Certainly, your days of pulling up weeds, planting seeds, and aerating the lawn will all be at an end once you make the change to this kind of lawn.
With everyone being so busy these days, there simply isn’t enough time in the day to give a natural grass lawn the maintenance that it deserves. This is why so many homeowners end up paying decent sums of money to get professional lawn care services to carry out these tasks on their behalf.
Getting a lawn that looks terrific and that needs almost no maintenance can take a great weight off anyone’s mind and give them one less thing to worry about.
The Environmental Aspect
Maybe the aspect of artificial lawns that has taken Californians by surprise the most is the fact that this can also be a very environmentally friendly approach. The first impression that many people have of this type of grass is that it is probably too good to be true, so the environmental impact must be the downside.
However, the truth of the matter is that this can be an extremely eco-friendly choice when it is carried out in the right way. Of course, the first issue to consider is that of the water, as wasting a huge amount of water on watering a lawn isn’t a good idea even when there aren’t strong restrictions in place.
In addition, it is also a smart move to look for recycled artificial turf to use on your lawn. Most of the environmental impact of this grass happens when it is first made.
Getting hold of professionally recycled turf means that you get a quality product that has had a minimal impact on the environment when it got recycled and made as good as new again. If you are worried about the effect that your lifestyle has on the planet then this is one of the simplest ways to make a positive difference.
You Never Know What the Future Holds
Finally, no-one knows whether lighter water restrictions are here to stay or whether tougher measures will soon be put back in place following another period of drought. We simply don’t know what the future holds in terms of the weather experienced in California or elsewhere.
Maybe a sustained period of heavy rain will make it difficult to maintain natural grass for different reasons or perhaps some other type of adverse weather will appear on the horizon. A completely natural lawn can suffer for a wide variety of reasons, while synthetic grass will carry on looking fantastic regardless of what the weather is like.
This uncertainty over what the future will bring means that getting a versatile and highly practical synthetic lawn is the type of decision that you can look back on with pride in the years to come.
