Best Grass for Brisbane Climate
Any lawn variety you choose for either south-east or north Queensland must be able to cope with dry, sub-tropical to tropical conditions. There’s not one particular variety ...
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Today Perth is no longer a slave to its own inaccessibility and therefore the weather, the lifestyle and the people are all able to enjoy a large cross section of different lawns to grace their fine yards.
Perth is Australia’s sunniest capital, averaging almost nine sun-drenched hours per day throughout the year.
Perth also has relatively clearly defined seasons, with a hot dry summer working into a cool, wet winter.
For lawns, frosts are a rarity, with the very mild winters a trademark of Perth’s hot-summer Mediterranean climate with low humidity.
So, which grasses best cope with the gorgeous weather of Perth? Let’s have a look.
The best warm season grass varieties for Perth are Buffalos, Zoysias and Kikuyus as they all suit the climate.
But before any decisions are made you need to find a lawn that suits your demographics within Perth and personal needs. Look at these lawn characteristics:
Then based on what characteristics you need and want in a lawn you can choose from a large selection of grasses – Buffalos, Zoysias and Kikuyu.
Buffalo grasses are comfortable, convenient and easy to maintain and an ideal choice for Perth and Perth’s backyards.
Buffalo grass is also adept at handling the varying seasonal conditions that occur in Perth and surrounding regions.
Buffalo also has self-repairing qualities, making it ideal for high-traffic situations such as a family yard.
Behind Buffalo grasses hard-wearing characteristics are deep roots as well as fast-growing stolons and runners that enable quick recovery from lots of traffic.
Due to Buffalo grasses large, deep rooted system it is an efficient water user and can stay greener for longer during dry (drought) conditions.
Buffalo lawns are also known for bouncing back quickly once drought and water restrictions have ended.
On average, Palmetto turf has 75.5% better winter colour than other buffalo grass types, this means you will have the greenest grass all year round in Perth.
Palmetto lawn also offers all the additional benefits of a hardy buffalo turf and is a great option for the gardener who really wants their turf to shine.
Palmetto is low maintenance as it grows slower than other Buffalo varieties, therefore it requires less mowing and less fertiliser.
Palmetto turf also has a high tolerance to shade making it ideal for yards sheltered by trees, garden shrubs or house eaves.
Palmetto turf has also fared as one of the best for drought tolerance against all other Buffalo varieties trialled thanks to a deep-rooted system that seeks out water.
Palmetto Buffalo costs between $10 to $15 per square metre. Your local Perth grower suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.
Not only is a Sapphire buffalo lawn hard wearing, due to its quick recovery from wear damage, but it is one of the most shade tolerant Buffalo grasses on the market.
Sapphire’s folding leaf creates a lawn that is unbeatably soft.
Because of its deep root system, Sapphire has excellent cold tolerance – it has a brilliant winter colour in Perth and holds its winter colour longer than most varieties. With its deep root system, Sapphire is also an efficient water user and drought tolerant.
Sapphire turf is a favourite of ours for Perth because the kids can play and fall, and leave diverts without getting hurt and a bonus is that it won’t worry the grass.
Large pets are also able to rough and tumble on this soft leaf Sapphire Buffalo without causing too much damage – but with the strong rhizome growth recovery is quick and effective.
We believe it is the only fine textured, quick recovering Buffalo grass in the world. And a Sapphire buffalo lawn also has excellent disease tolerance, and a great winter colour.
Sapphire Buffalo costs between $10 to $15 per square metre. Your local Perth grower suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.
When buying a lawn, getting the darkest green colour possible can be one of your top priorities for your Perth backyard.
For those who desire the darkest green lawn in the street, Prestige Buffalo should be your choice and can be grown anywhere in Perth.
Prestige is also known as the Next Generation Buffalo as it is one of the newest Buffalos on the market having been bred from Sir Walter but with all its characteristics enhanced to suit Buffalo lawn lovers.
Due to its large, deep rooted system, it is an efficient water user and stays green longer in dry conditions. For these same reasons, it is able to cope with cold and stay green longer in winter and bounces back when spring occurs.
Added to Prestige’s darkest green colour is its fast growth habit meaning it recovers quickly from wear damage from pets and kids.
Shade cover and heavy wear areas of up to 50% are also not a problem for Prestige Buffalo.
Thatch can also cause a lawn to become very spongy; Prestige turf is a low thatch variety and due to this fact cuts down on maintenance.
Prestige Buffalo costs between $13 to $16.50 per square metre. Your local Perth grower suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.
Kikuyu grass is generally regarded as one of the more “vigorous” grasses, and the most economical lawn.
Kikuyu lawn thrives in full sun which makes it perfect for all Australian homes it also has a high cold tolerance making it ideal for Perth’s extreme chilly weather.
It will regenerate quickly if worn out, which is why Kikuyu turf is often used for families with pets and kids, schools and sports fields.
The main problem with Kikuyu grass is that its fast-growing nature means that it can become invasive, requiring frequent mowing through the warmer parts of the year.
Care must be taken to stop Kikuyu from escaping the confines of your lawn and spreading to other parts of your yard or garden, even crossing over to a neighbour’s yard.
Unlike common Kikuyu, Kenda grass is bred to be sterile and produce minimal seed head meaning it is less likely to spread into surrounding garden beds or onto foot paths.
Kenda’s sterile seed head also means it has low allergenic characteristics which reduces its likelihood of causing problems for allergy sufferers.
Thanks to Kenda’s strong root system that grows vigorously, it is an efficient water user, highly drought tolerant and handles all kinds of wear and tear – whether it’s from large dogs, active kids or regular backyard parties.
Kenda is and an ideal choice for areas with low rainfall or council water restrictions.
Kenda Kikuyu costs between $7 to $11 per square metre. Your local Perth grower suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.
Zoysia grass is a lovely attractive, drought and wear tolerant grass that is still new to Perth yards and landscapes.
For a Perth homeowner wanting a lawn that requires less mowing, is water-wise and hard wearing and has an eye-catching dark green colour – a Zoysia turf is your answer.
This popular grass has a deep-rooted, underground runner system that allows Zoysia turf to endure extreme climates such as heat, humidity and sub-zero temperatures.
Zoysia lawns are known for being incredibly soft, with no chance of irritating or scratching the skin.
Zoysia lawns also grow incredibly slowly, making it attractive for those who aren’t a huge fan of mowing.
The slow growth of Zoysia turf also means that managing potential invasion of surrounding garden beds is made much easier.
Empire Zoysia is easy growing and adaptable to Perth’s changing conditions and performs well in all soil types, including clay and sandy soils.
It’s deep root and underground runner system allows Empire lawn to endure extreme climates and can handle heat and humidity as well as sub-zero temperatures.
Requiring less mowing, fertiliser and weeding than other grass types, Empire turf has earnt its title as “the low maintenance lawn”.
Empire is an efficient water user and highly drought tolerant. It’s an ideal choice for areas with low rainfall or council water restrictions.
Empire Zoysia costs between $12 to $16 per square metre. Your local Perth grower suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.
Nara Native Zoysia is a true all-rounder that will perform well in Perth’s tough conditions, without sacrificing on looks or feel.
Native to Australia, Nara is naturally equipped to handle hot, dry climates, humid conditions and even the cold Perth climate, but has the added bonus of being soft to touch.
Evolution within the Australian environment has given it some distinct advantages – Nara is an efficient water user and highly drought tolerant.
Nara turf is an ideal choice for areas with low rainfall or council water restrictions.
Nara is also both naturally salt tolerant and more resistant to the pests and diseases that can affect Aussie lawns. It’s perfect for coastal areas and can be used for beach and waterfront properties.
Nara Native Zoysia costs between $11 to $16 per square metre. Your local Perth grower suppliers can easily be found with our online supplier locator tool.
For more fast facts and Q&As on our varieties –
Or check out our handy Quick Lawn Selection Guide
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