Types of Grass Commonly Used in Turf and Why
Did you know that high-quality turf is not just grown from one type of grass?
In reality, turf is often grown using a carefully selected blend that is made from different types of grass, each chosen for its unique strengths. Some grasses, such as perennial ryegrass, are praised for their durability and resistance to pests, while others, such as chewing's fescue, are known for their shade and drought tolerance.
By mixing these grasses together, you can get a lawn that stays green, healthy, and resilient. That’s why choosing the right blend for your garden is so important - it’s the secret to creating a lawn that not only looks beautiful but thrives for years to come.
Here at Online Turf, we have been creating our own seed blends for two decades. This experience is the reason we know how to create the perfect blend for any application, no matter what challenges your garden faces.
The Most Common Grass Types and Their Properties
The most common grass types in your area are going to depend on your local climate.
In warmer and drier regions, such as the southern United States, warm-season grasses are most popular. These include bahia grass, bermuda grass, and zoysia grass. They thrive in heat, with active growth starting as soon as soil temperatures pass 18-20°C and peaking at around 27°C to 35°C. In colder weather, they go dormant, turning yellow or brown.
In the UK, these warm-season grasses would barely ever look their best. The cooler temperatures and high rainfall would cause them to constantly be under stress, going dormant for most of the year. For this reason, cool-season grasses are a more common choice, growing actively in temperatures between 10°C and 24°C and going dormant when temperatures drop below this range. Popular types include perennial ryegrass, slender creeping red fescue, strong creeping red fescue, and chewing's fescue.
Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is one of the most durable grass types and has many built-in resistances to pests and diseases. It recovers quickly after damage and needs very little care to do so. For this reason, it is often used in gardens with heavy foot traffic, as well as for commercial or specialist use.
According to Wimbledon, their courts are ‘sown with 100 per cent perennial ryegrass (since 2001) to improve durability and strengthen the sward to withstand better the increasing wear of the modern game’.
Another advantage of this type of grass is its fast growth. Depending on the weather, it can establish in just three to four weeks. This makes it ideal for overseeding and repairing bare patches in record time!
Slender Creeping Red Fescue
Slender creeping red fescue is a shade-tolerant grass that’s commonly used in turf in the UK. Its fine leaf structure requires less light for photosynthesis, meaning it performs much better in shade than other grass types. This makes it ideal for areas where light is limited - such as under trees, near fences, or beside buildings.
Its creeping growth habit allows it to spread horizontally across the ground through stem cells called rhizomes. These help the grass spread and fill in any gaps in your lawn effectively. It also allows it to self-repair, creating a consistently dense and healthy lawn with minimal effort.
One difference between fescue and ryegrass is that slender creeping red fescue grows more slowly. It may take longer to establish at first, but once it does, it needs less maintenance than faster-growing grasses. This means fewer mowings and less frequent fertilisation, saving you time and money over the long term.
For this reason, it is frequently used on golf courses where there is a team of professionals who can cater for its needs, as well as in luxurious gardens.
Strong Creeping Red Fescue
Strong creeping red fescue is the most common grass type used out of all the fescue species in the UK.
Just like slender creeping red fescue, it is shade-tolerant and tends to grow slowly. However, it has a more vigorous creeping habit which can help to create a more dense, hardwearing turf than other fescue varieties.
Its deep roots can access moisture from deep within the soil in dry conditions, giving it an excellent drought tolerance. Additionally, they hold the soil together, stopping it from washing away and helping it to stay healthy for years to come.
From golf courses, sport fields, to private gardens, this type of grass has many uses due to its tough, hardwearing nature.
Chewing's Fescue
Chewing's fescue is often used in turf because of its high shoot density and tolerance to short mowing. On golf putting greens, under professional maintenance and ideal conditions, it can be cut as low as ¼ in. For home lawns, around 1 in is a safe minimum height.
However, its benefits don’t end there! It has the best shade-tolerance when compared to slender and strong red fescue and thrives even in infertile, sandy soils. This makes it perfect for shady, tricky gardens.
Additionally, this type of grass handles cold temperatures well and has a good pest and disease resistance, while having low water and fertilising needs.
As a result, it is a great choice for anyone who doesn’t want to spend ages on maintaining their lawn but still wants it to look good, whether for commercial or private use.
Why Blends Are Better
Single-species lawns are usually a compromise.
You might end up with a lawn that is very durable but lacks a luxurious look, or one that looks and feels beautiful, but is easily damaged. Even worse, if the lawn is affected by a disease specific to that grass type, it can suffer more damage and recover less easily than a blended lawn, which has a wider resilience. As a result, these only look good if a team of certified professionals is taking care of them, such as at Wimbledon, as it is extremely time-consuming, complicated, and stressful.
This is why we at Online Turf create our own carefully selected blends. With over 20 years of experience in turf production, we have perfected the art of mixing grass species to suit different needs, allowing all our customers to enjoy a healthy, beautiful lawn without all the stress.
By combining different varieties, we can produce high-quality turf that grows well in many conditions and keeps a luxurious appearance all year round. For example, mixing sun-loving ryegrass with chewing's fescue creates a lawn that stays healthy and lush, no matter how much sun it gets.
The more grass types included, the tougher the lawn becomes too. This helps it resist diseases and weeds, reducing the amounts of maintenance and treatments that you have to do.
Choosing the Right Turf for Your Project
Is one type of grass better than another? No, not necessarily. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ grass types.
This is why, when choosing the right turf for your project, take some time to think about your space’s needs and match the grass types to those.
Family Lawn
Whether it is your dog chasing a ball or kids running around, a family lawn is likely to experience heavy foot traffic. To keep it looking its best for years to come, it is important to choose a resilient grass type so that it can last through the constant wear and tear and recover quickly if damaged.
One of the best choices here is turf that includes perennial ryegrass. Tough enough to keep the Wimbledon courts looking their best, it will do amazingly well in your garden.
For best results, the turf you choose should also include at least one different species of grass. One of the fescues is going to be the best choice here – allowing the turf to naturally spread, filling in any bare patches. Something that ryegrass cannot do on its own.
Shaded Garden
Since a shaded garden is not going to have a lot of sunlight, choosing a grass type that can thrive in these conditions is key. If the wrong type is chosen, your lawn is constantly going to be under stress and never look its best.
Turf that contains slender creeping red fescue, strong creeping red fescue, or chewing's fescue is going to perform best in these conditions. A mix of all three is ideal for making your lawn as genetically strong as possible. If there are areas of your lawn that receive intense sunlight, make sure the blend you choose also includes some ryegrass, allowing your grass to thrive regardless of how much light it gets.
Ornamental Garden
If you want your garden to look its best along with having the ability to mow it to different heights to create different levels, choose turf that has both chewing's fescue and slender creeping red fescue.
The slow growth and increased resilience mean you’ll benefit from lower maintenance, allowing you to focus on your other plants, while creating a dense sward that gives your lawn an expensive, luxurious appearance. If you’d also like your lawn to handle foot traffic better, make sure that ryegrass is included in the blend.
Specialist Use
If you are planning to turf a specialist area, such as a golf course or a sports field, you need a grass type that can handle very heavy use. This again points to a blend of perennial ryegrass and chewing's fescue.
Ryegrass’ tough nature and ability to bounce back quickly and chewing's fescue’s ability to thrive in difficult growing conditions and while mowed shortly make these the perfect duo.
Remember: specialist areas will also need regular professional care to look their best, such as certified greenkeepers.
Choosing the right turf is the first step to a beautiful, healthy lawn. By understanding the different types of grasses and which blends work best for your space’s needs, you can choose a turf that thrives in your garden for years to come.
Our two decades of experience in growing our turf ensures that we can provide you with a perfect blend for your project.
Whether you are after an extremely durable lawn that also has a luxury appearance and good shade tolerance, such as Rye Gold, simply want an all-round family lawn turf, such as Stadium, or a budget option, Online Turf’s grass types range has been carefully selected to cover every need.
Visit our products page today to explore all the turf options we offer and find the perfect blend for a lawn you’ll love for years to come!
FAQs
How do I choose between different types of grass in turf?
Start by assessing your local climate. If you live in the UK, cool-season grass varieties are going to be the right choice.
Then, think about how you are planning to use your lawn and the growing conditions that your garden or space offers - is it shaded? Or maybe it gets full sun? These should all be taken into consideration if you want your lawn to last for a long time.
Once you have this information, you can then research which type of grass will be best for your needs.
What is the best lawn grass for heavy traffic caused by children and pets?
Perennial ryegrass is the best choice if the space you are trying to turf experiences heavy foot traffic.
It will withstand wear and tear and will bounce back to health, needing only minimal maintenance.
For best results, choose turf that also includes different species of fescue grass, such as Rye Gold turf, to add even more resilience and improve the appearance of your lawn.
Why is turf a mix of different grasses?
Turf is made from different grass types to enhance its quality – this includes its aesthetic appeal, durability, and resistance to pests and diseases.
When mixed, different types of grasses benefit from each other’s strengths, performing better than a single-species lawn.
