6 things to consider before tackling your lawn

1 Spring is the ideal time to start a new lawn, but you’ll need to prep the ground four weeks before sowing or laying, to allow the soil to settle and eliminate any weeds. Seed is slower but cheaper than turf and you have greater choice over seed mixes. Turf is harder work to lay but creates an instant lawn. When buying turf, check the supplier is reputable. They will be able to advise you on the best type of lawn for your site.

2 When thinking about where to position a new lawn – or tweak an existing one – choose a shape and size that best suits your needs, and that will counter any limiting factors of your garden. Remember that although some grass will tolerate shade, most lawns will need a minimum of six hours sun a day.

3 Use a piece of rope or hosepipe to mark out the shape of your lawn and then cut around it, using a knife.

4 A simple sketch will help you to plan your garden well. Measure the boundaries of your plot as best you can and draw it to scale using a scale ruler, marking where the house is. Make lots of photocopies so you can experiment with the design, sketching overlapping squares, rectangles or circles until you find a layout that is satisfying.

5 Be honest with yourself about how much time you will have to maintain a lawn, which will need feeding, watering, mowing and weeding throughout the growing months. A low-maintenance evergreen groundcover might a better bet.

6 When you’ve had any new turf laid try not to walk on it for three weeks (eight weeks if sown from seed) until it has settled and is established.