Lawn types and grass species

Every spring, garden owners usually enjoy the first tentative rays of sunshine just as much as their own lawns, which are slowly waking up to active growth and a lush appearance. But as everyone knows, not all lawns are the same: the choice, requirements and needs of the different types of lawn are as varied as they are different.

Depending on what you expect from your green, you can choose and put together the right type of lawn for your own green oasis. As a lawn with its fresh green is often seen as the heart of the garden, it has become an essential part of garden design. The range of species and varieties is now overwhelming, so the choice of variety should be carefully considered and planned.

A particularly important requirement for successfully growing a lawn is choosing a type of lawn that matches the intended use as closely as possible. Besides the soil conditions (dry or rather prone to waterlogging), the light conditions (sunny to shady) also matter. In addition, the everyday wear on the area should be part of the decision.

Decision path in three questions: shade lawn for little light, play lawn RSM 2.3 for heavily used areas, ornamental lawn RSM 1.1 for a perfect look, herb lawn RSM 2.4 for low maintenance

What is a lawn?

A lawn is a mixture of different grasses and various plants. As the individual grasses have different properties, such as colour, vigour or care requirements, the right mix and composition is what makes a lawn as good as possible.

The German Federal Plant Variety Office officially lists around 350 different lawn grasses that are bred specifically for lawn use. Several dozen new varieties are added every year. The three most important grass species are smooth meadow grass (Kentucky bluegrass), red fescue and perennial ryegrass. Almost 90 percent of the listed varieties originate from this trio of grasses.

Types of lawn

Basically there are two ways to establish a lawn: by sowing grass seed or by laying turf. If you choose seed, it can take up to a year before the lawn reaches a high density.

Turf, on the other hand, only needs about two weeks to root and has a certain density from the start. In return, a lawn you sow yourself is considerably cheaper. In terms of cost, turf is therefore more suitable for smaller areas.

When choosing seed, pay particular attention to the quality level. A good seed mix can be recognised by the abbreviation RSM on the packaging. It stands for Regelsaatgutmischung, the German standard seed mixture; it costs somewhat more than average but is the better choice in terms of quality and durability in the long run.

Cheap mixtures usually contain forage grasses, which crowd out the lawn grasses. After a while, holes and bare patches appear in the initially lush lawn, where wild herbs such as dandelions or daisies then like to sprout.

A standard seed mixture, by contrast, only uses proven grass varieties. Unlike cheaper seed, stricter criteria for purity and minimum germination also apply. A high-quality standard seed mixture is marked by a green label with a detailed list.

Which RSM stands for which type of lawn?

The RSM labels are meant to help consumers choose. Here are some RSM codes with the common types of lawn:

Ornamental lawn = RSM 1.1

A particularly fine-leaved lawn.

Utility lawn for dry locations = RSM 2.2

This mix is particularly heat-tolerant and at the same time develops very deep roots. The grasses are somewhat coarse-leaved.

Utility lawn, play lawn = RSM 2.3

These mixes are often used in home gardens and on play and recreation lawns.

Utility lawn, herb lawn = RSM 2.4

Mainly used on public green spaces, in housing estates and in private gardens. They contain a high proportion of herbs and are considered particularly low-maintenance.

Sports turf, new sowing = RSM 3.1

This type is used for establishing new sports grounds.

Sports turf, overseeding = RSM 3.2

This type is used for overseeding and regenerating sports areas. When and how best to overseed is explained in the article on lawn renovation in September.

Parking lawn = RSM 5.1

An ideal mix for gravel lawns and other parking areas.

Green roofs = RSM 6.1

With a very high proportion of herbs (up to 35 percent), excellently suited to intensive green roofs.

Ornamental lawn

Properties

  • Wear resistance: low
  • Fertiliser requirement: medium
  • Care requirement: high
  • Optimal cutting height: about two centimetres
  • Mowing frequency: one or two cuts a week

This type of lawn is the "diva" among sown lawns. The particularly dense, carpet-like turf of fine-leaved grasses produces an intense, vivid green. However, its low wear resistance makes it unsuitable for children playing or big garden parties: it is more of a showpiece than a surface to use.

More work and care, with frequent mowing, fertilising and regular weeding, is a must, but the result is a lawn that stays intensely green with a flawless appearance. It also needs a position in full sun to reach its full potential.

The best-known example of this type is the so-called "English lawn". This kind of delicate lawn for the highest standards in particular needs to be treated as carefully as possible in the first years after sowing. Play, frequently moving furniture around and repeated walking on it should be avoided. A constant, sufficient water supply is also essential for an elegant appearance.

At cutting heights of around two centimetres, the mowing tool is decisive: a rotary mower frays blades cut this low, while a reel mower cuts them cleanly like scissors. That is why the classic English lawn is traditionally mown with a reel.

Ornamental lawns mostly contain bentgrasses, Chewings fescue and hair-leaved fescues.

Utility lawn

Properties

  • Care requirement: medium
  • Wear resistance: high
  • Fertiliser requirement: high
  • Optimal cutting height: 3 to 4 cm
  • Mowing frequency: one cut every one to two weeks

The utility lawn, often also called a play or home lawn, is the most commonly sown type. It is considered functional, very drought-tolerant and needs relatively manageable care. Sports turf, a hard-wearing special form, is particularly robust and resilient but has to be mown somewhat more often.

A utility lawn grows everywhere except in shady spots. It likes sun and tolerates a lot of drought. It mostly contains smooth meadow grass and perennial ryegrass.

Shade lawn

Properties

  • Wear resistance: medium
  • Care requirement: medium
  • Fertiliser requirement: high
  • Mowing frequency: 1 cut a week
  • Optimal cutting height: 4 to 5 cm

This seed mix consists mainly of grasses that need relatively little sunlight for optimal growth. It is mainly suitable for parts of the garden that are shaded by trees, hedges, walls or neighbouring buildings.

Because less light reaches it, a shade lawn forms less moss and weeds, but it needs intensive care with water and fertiliser. A shade lawn should not be mown too often and only cut lightly. Its mixes usually contain grasses such as wood meadow grass.

Landscape lawn

Properties

  • Care requirement: medium
  • Wear resistance: medium to high
  • Fertiliser requirement: medium to high
  • Mowing frequency: 1 cut every 1 to 2 weeks
  • Optimal cutting height: 4 to 5 cm

This type of lawn is usually used on larger public green spaces. Thanks to its slow growth, it needs less care and offers good protection against erosion. It is also characterised by low nutrient requirements and high weather resistance.

As robust components, seed mixes for landscape lawns use creeping bentgrass, red fescue and smooth meadow grass.

Turf

Turf, also called ready lawn, is grown grass that is delivered in rolls, rolled out in your garden and pressed or rolled down. The ground must be level and thoroughly cleared of stones, old lawn and other growth so that the turf can root properly. Deep loosening and pre-watering of the soil are also recommended.

This way you get your new lawn quickly and easily, but at a considerably higher price than buying a seed mix to sow yourself.

Common lawn grasses and varieties

Perennial ryegrass

  • very robust and hard-wearing
  • drought-tolerant
  • forms a dense turf
  • germinates particularly quickly
  • very fast initial development
  • dense, finely branched root system

Regenerating ryegrass

  • quick germination
  • immediate growth
  • good wear resistance
  • fairly dense root system
  • best ability to regenerate

Smooth meadow grass

  • very hard-wearing and resistant to stress
  • low, slow growth, slow germination (2 to 3 weeks)
  • forms underground runners and fills gaps by itself
  • drought-tolerant once established, but sensitive when young

Red fescue

  • medium wear resistance
  • forms strong tufts
  • very dense growth
  • adapts particularly well to different sites
  • fine, dense root system
  • very drought-tolerant
  • crowds out weeds

Often available as Chewings fescue, strong creeping red fescue and slender creeping red fescue.

Fescue

  • medium wear resistance
  • medium-dense root system
  • very adaptable
  • very drought-tolerant
  • deep-rooting
  • shade-tolerant

Available as tall fescue, hard fescue and sheep's fescue.

Bentgrasses

  • medium wear resistance
  • deep root system
  • forms underground runners
  • undemanding
  • strong thatch formation
  • use a considerable amount of water and nutrients