Once we have decided to create a lawn one important question has to be tackled – are you going to do it by sowing grass seed or by turfing and each has its pros and cons.

Sowing:

• Cheaper
• More tolerant of drying out
• Needs better preparation
• Can only be done when frost is not a danger
• The mixture of grasses shown can be tailored according to the use
• Once the ground is prepared the seed will be fine in the bag for months if the weather makes sowing undesirable
• Borders have to be cut out after the lawn is established (there is away round this I will come back to)

Turfing

• More expensive
• Must not be allowed to dry out until it is established
• Quicker result
• Water supply aside it can be done anytime of year
• Physically harder work
• Less choice regarding the grasses chosen
• Must be used as soon as it is delivered
• Borders can be formed as the turf is laid

In short turfing will allow you to create a lawn any time of the year so long as you can work the soil but it must not be allowed to dry out until it is properly established and each roll of turf weights about 15 to 20 kg so a small lawn will involve humping about several tonnes of turfs. Seeding is cheaper and you have more control over the types of grasses to end up with –something else I will have to come back to – but needs longer to make an established lawn.