One of the challenges a homeowner has is being able to grow a full, lush lawn in an area that is mostly in the shade. When the natural conditions seem to be working against sunny growth of plants such as grass, a keen gardener and homeowner needs to look at some of the different varieties that exist to fulfil their needs. If you really want beautiful, manicured lawns, you need to visit a turf farm.
While a shady area presents a challenge, it can still be covered in a lush, dark green grass which will improve the home’s appearance and satisfy the finicky homeowner who wants that even look over the whole lawn. There are a couple of varieties of grass that do quite well in shady areas, out of the sun.
Matilda Soft Buffalo – this is a durable salt tolerant Australian grass and is suitable for areas next to the pool and houses close to the coast. It is a broad leaf appearance and rich green in colour. It requires about 40mm of water a week (not a lot), and is suitable for both shade and full sun. Buffalo grass standouts because of the surface runners, but the root system is fairly shallow, grows horizontally and doesn’t take over the whole yard. Perfect for under tress (shade), shrubs and dense foliage. If you’re looking for a grass that suits all conditions but satisfies you shady areas, then Matilda Soft Buffalo is a great choice.
It’s not the sort of grass on which you will be playing family volleyball or cricket, but it’s hardy enough for reasonably continuous use.
Carabooda Kikuyu – this is classified as a soft grass and grows very quickly. While it might be best used on school ovals and in parks, its shade tolerance makes it ideal for the backyard as well. It grows vertically and looks great after being mowed. It’s a medium broadleaf grass and bright green in colour, making it a favourite for the garden when you are looking for that contrast in some places. It’s okay in filtered sun rather than shade, but because it grows so quickly, shade is not going to stop it. It has a deep root system and is active all year round which means winter mowing as well. For this one, you can bring out the stumps and the cricket ball for a backyard limited over family match.
The Rest and the Best
Other grass varieties are available, but these particular roll on lawn varieties fare well in those shady areas. They continue to grow okay in cooler weather and don’t need a lot of direct sunlight. While the Kikuyu can be laid for full sunlight conditions, you should check with your turf farm specialist about the Matilda Soft Buffalo in full sun.
Thanks to the horticultural development of specific grasses for Western Australia, you will now be able to lay roll on varieties where you have full shade or even just a little sun. A visit to the turf farm or the local gardening centre that distributes the roll on lawn, means finding the right grass is not difficult.