This little space was a crumbling homage to 1960s yard design, smothered in coloured concrete. It was a relief to fill a skip bin and get stuck into nurturing the soil. If you’re feeling a bit blue, I recommend rolling out a new lawn. It’s such a satisfying job.
It seems like artificial lawn has been super trendy in Melbourne for years, growing out of the water austerity and new conservation-conscious mindset that arose during the long drought. I’ve never been a fan. Very few things evoke stronger memories of an Australian childhood than the smell of a crisply-cut lawn in summer. Lawn thatch is an excellent insect hotel; or bird-feeding buffet. And I don’t think I’m imagining the slightly more comfortable temperature on hot days. Besides, where does artificial lawn go when it’s retired? And are those micro plastics it’s releasing to the wind?
