New Zealand Life and Leisure Magazine
Issue 30 March/April 2010
Lush lawns look pretty from a distance but typically require chemical fertilisers, lots of irrigation and plenty of labour and fossil fuels to mow so rate high on the scale of ridiculous landscape ideas. As an alternative, consider an ornamental ground cover. Richard Blaikie's Nelson company No Mow grows and supplies more than 40 varieties of low-growing, mat-forming plants. Some he says, area good alternatives to traditional grass lawns, and some are suitable for rock gardens and living walls. Preparation varies depending on plant variety and conditions, but basically it's the same as for instant turf. The plant Richard calls "the bomb" is Sellerio rodicons microphyllo. A native, it is commonly called fine tide turf and is a tidal estuary plant so its happy being temporarily soaked or left bone dry. It has a very grassy look and glossy leaves that are cool to sit upon. Plants cost about $10 per square metre but once established they require very little care so consider all the money you'll save over the course of a lawn's lifetime. |
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