Low maintenance gardens are highly sought after. After a gruelling day at the office most of us would rather kick off our shoes and relax than mow the grass, clip the hedge and water the plants. We are not all destined to be limited to pavers and a bottle of weed killer. Now we can have our cake and eat it too!
Artificial turf has come a long way. The products are remarkable out there. Thick lush greens that feel and look real without that plastic sheen and feel as soft as velvet. Many ranges have UV inhibitors that do not degrade under the hot sun. A faded pastel green of years gone by are no more…most suppliers have 10 year warranties. Low maintenance like this comes with a big price tag, so do your research well. Great for roof terraces where the added weight of a garden limits your options for a greenspace. Hard to reach places like terraced gardens or areas with a lot of shade or too dry to grow grass for kids and pets to play are prime areas for artificial turf without the hassle of trying to get the real stuff to grow.
Faux hedging- Yes, its true you can construct a fake boxwood hedge. No waiting for it to fill in and grow. The “hedging” can be much narrower than a real hedge which is perfect for adding greenery to a small balcony. It usually comes in 12″ x 12″ square panels that can be stapled or tied into a frame. It could also be arranged into a vertical planting “living wall” that are becoming popular. You get what you pay for so be aware of cheaper varieties that look blatantly fake.
Faux timber, better known as composite wood decking, reduces the maintenance of routinely staining your wood structures. There are many different colours and grades to chose from. Some even look like hardwoods you’d have inside. Varieties also come in both traditional planks or more contemporary panels.
Faux Stone can have a great visual impact without a hard hit to the wallet like natural stone. There are many different products for different applications from pavers for your patio to lightweight veneer panels for vertical mounting on walls and columns. There are countless colour and texture combinations to fit any landscape, Even the stamped concrete patio above that resembles weathered 2×10 decking is an amazing statement piece.
Johanna Frezza Architect 