Wildflowers edge out plastic lawns
Could 2024 see the end of the trend for fake lawns? Consumer manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed, Guy Jenkins, believes so. “The continued slow demise of the artificial lawn is expected to endure as owners experience the pitfalls of a large piece of plastic covering their gardens. Natural grass lawns allow gardeners the choice of a manicured sward or a naturalised meadow and everything in between.
“Wildflower mixtures are growing in popularity, mixtures of annuals especially, due to their colourful displays and ease of sowing and maintenance.”
Dr Emily Lambert, a founder at Seedball, said more gardeners would plant native wildflowers that play a vital part in our ecosystem: “More people recognise the decline of native flora and will make a conscious decision to plant natively,” she said.
Chairman of The Lawn Association, David HedgesGower, predicted an uptick in “the battle against plastic turf”, championed by the Royal Horticultural Society and Society of Garden Designers. He said: “The prevalence of native grasses in modern lawns will continue, especially given the changing weather patterns. Regulations on hosepipe usage might steer practices away from ryegrass, emphasising the importance of embracing native grasses.”
CEO of Garden Organic, Fiona Taylor, said she believed the backlash against plastic lawns would extend to plastic used in plant pots and product packaging.
And director of the Garden Industry Manufacturers’ Association, Vicky Nuttall, made a further observation, pointing out: “Packaging is evolving at a rapid rate but plastic is still unavoidable for some products. Where it is used it will be at least 30% recycled content, thanks to new legislation.”