Archives for July 2020

You, is the simple answer. And what you think is the perfect lawn for you.

I think we all have a very different idea of what makes the perfect lawn. But I think the defining factor has to be that it is Green! 

Like all things in life, everyone has different tastes. I know that even in my family, we all have very different tastes on food, drinks, clothes and Netflix shows. So it makes sense in the wilder community, that everyone has different tastes in all things in life. Like food, drinks, clothes, Netflix and lawns.

Some people want a soft fluffy lawn. One like their grandparents used to have. A lawn you can take your shoes off and run all over. The soft green lawn that every weekend you can take your mower out and slowly glide all over their pride and joy with a rumbling machine, manicuring it to the finest detail. These people love getting out the fertiliser spreader and walking across the green just before rain to apply something that little bit special. To totally dominate the street! They have a  little sitting area, not on the lawn, but close by to admire their hard work. To them, this is a perfect lawn. 

To others the perfect lawn is a place where the kids can run, play , fall and do all the messy stuff outside on. A place where there are no bindi’s just green lawn to comfort everyone’s bare feet. Its the area where trampolines, slides and swing sets are a must, as well as somewhere to kick a ball. A tough robust lawn, that still comforts you when your body rests upon it. These lawns need to be able to handle picnics and paint. These peoples perfect lawns need to take a hammering and come back comforting bare feet each and every day. 

Then there are the people who want their lawn to be looked at and admired for its beauty. To look out their window and see green healthy happy grass gracing their homes, complimenting their perfect homes. But without them having to do a lot of work. Their lives are busy, and they want their lawn not to be. To these people their perfect lawn is a safe green inspiring place, without the fuss and bother. 

And then there are people like me. I love a beautiful green lush lawn. I hate winter and summer weeds. And I love a green space to sit upon in the sun, read a book and drink a wine or two with family and friends. I love a lawn that will handle my teenagers when they decide to play a quick game of hockey or football. I love a lawn that will handle the activities of my slightly fat dogs.

I have teenage kids who could really help put on the lawn or at home in general, but when they do it is a rush job. Usually they mow the lawn way too short. Its so they don’t have to do it again for a while, more efficient they tell me. They also have the same idea when it comes to most house work. Do it quick so they can do more of what they love. So I need a lawn that will recover fast, can thrive on a little neglect but is still there when I need to escape.  

Now I prefer a lighter Red wine. Like a Tempranillo. My husband prefers a Beer. And we live in the same house. Very different tastes, but we need to share the same space, or bottle sometimes. So not only does our perfect lawn need to meet what I want, and what our 3 kids need, it has to also meet what he wants too. And as a landscaper, he has a high ecxpectations of what he wants. But, like all tradies, he doesn’t want to do much when he gets home either. He prefers to exert his energy on other peoples lawns. So our perfect lawn needs to be tough, quick growing, withstand teenage laziness and then really activeness in burst, handle two slightly, (ok very ) overweight Kelpies and be able to absorb the occasional wine spill, and still stay nice and green. 

Is that asking too much? Nahhh. 

That is why at Coastal Turf we have 6 different varieties on offer. So everyone can find anyones perfect lawn for their home. No matter what your tastes. No matter what you want to use it for. No matter how much sunlight or lack of sunlight your home can offer your lawn. At Coastal Turf we try and find your perfect lawn to suit your home and lifestyle.

And we love doing it. Because, if like our place you have different personalities all living altogether, you need something that will make you all smile. Make you all want to share food and drink on the lawn together. 

Have you been near Knox Park in Murwillumbah lately? Have you seen all the beautiful new green grassed areas for everyone to enjoy? I am proud to say , these green grass areas came from our farm.

I am one of those weird crazy mums who run around and do things with and for my kids. Granted at the moment now they are all teenagers, it it mostly just taking them to different places and then picking them up. During these car rides, I learn so much about their lives. And they get to learn about mine too.

One of the weird things I do when we go places, is drive past peoples houses and say, “oh look at that lawn”; ” Wow, that lawn is so pretty”; ” Look Kids. Look at that one, I installed that lawn! And it still looks great. And that one too. I wondering if they lovely people still live there.” – usually while gesturing wildly down the road.

I think it is such a Tradie family thing to do. You are really proud of your work and how beautiful you can make something. And you want to share it with your kids. Show them you are more than just a mode of transport to and from places, or the person who makes sure there is food there for them.

I am not sure how much my kids love it though. When they were little I used to get “great job Mum!” and “Oh that looks great!” Nowadays it is more of a “hmm. Thats nice.”

Over the last 9 months the Coastal Turf team has been working with the Tweed Shire Council on the beautiful Knox Park in Murwillumbah. A place we drive past most days. My three wonderful, but teenaged kids, all go to Murwillumbah High School. (Great school by the way. Perfect for my 3!) Can you imagine what I do every time we go past Knox Park and the look my kids faces!

On the way to and from school (when I get to take them. Mostly they catch the bus though) and driving around to all the other extra exciting events and adventures my kids do (this happens a lot. My kids seem to have a lot of after school activities!), I point out Knox Park and proudly say “look at that grass kids!” Or see “See Poppa unloading gorgeous Wintergreen Couch to be laid in the full sun parts of the park. Or is it Sir Walter and Palmetto Buffalo to be placed in the shaded areas. Wouldn’t that be nice for a picnic?”

Can you see their faces now?

But it must have sunk in though. At least a little. Because when Knox Park opened up again after the COVID Lockdown, guess where my kids all went to meet up with their friends?

Being teenage children, my kids love to hang out with thier friends. But they are also active kids who want to move! Which is great. But also exhausting. So this makes Knox Park in Murwillumbah a perfect place for them.

Not only is there playground equipment for all ages (that even mothers can use. Please try the flying fox. It is so much fun), a skate park, basket ball court, netball court, and it has large open areas with a couple of huge open grassed areas for running around and playing games on. And some beautifully shaded grassed areas to picnic under. Or sit a little out of the way with other mothers so your young teenager can hang out with her friends, but you are still close enough to see what’s going on…..

And the best part for me is that all the grass, every blade, I feel like I have watched grow and mature from a sprig in our soil to beautiful park grass.

The Wintergreen couch in the open areas, perfect to take all the wear and tear of running, riding, playing, tackling and giggling on it anyone can throw at it, comes from our front paddocks on the farm. The grass was lovingly grown and fertilised and manicured to be the best looking Wintergreen Couch around. And also tested for its toughness in covid iso by the kids and I . We gave it a couple of test runs with some very amateur soccer games.

So amateur in fact I may have accidentally kicked a ball in to my daughters brand new glasses on her face that she needs to see everyday in one game. That was a really costly mistake. I had to buy her new glasses (which I think she is secretly happy about). I am not the most coordinated mother. But I get in there and give it a go.

As a family we also gave the Wintergreen Couch paddock few goes at touch football , but teenage brothers don’t really understand that touching should be just light, not hard enough to knock each other to the ground. We banned “touch” football after one game.

I can assure you though that if you do fall onto the Gorgeous Wintergreen couch at Knox Park, I have pre texted it for softness and comfort. Being uncoordinated does have some advantages. Like unintended rests. The Wintergreen couch is very soft and quite comforting to an older 40 year old body to take an unintended rest or fall upon. As a soft thin blade grass, the Wintergreen couch was good when I may have need a “rest” on my back, or side, or butt.

The shaded areas of Knox Park of course needed to be tested as well. We ran the Buffalos through the same extensive pre-testing as the Wintergreen did. But in a more refined manner.

As we knew that the Buffalos were going to be placed in the shaded areas where people would sit and picnic and chat and talk, my husband and I took it upon ourselves to partake in a few gentle beverages on the buffalos to ensure that they would be suitably comforting and supportive to have a lovely picnic upon. While we sent the kids to test the green some more with the dogs.

So if you see a lady in a little white car wildly pointing her arms in the car in the direction of Knox Park. Its me! Give me a wave. And point with me so the kids have to look.

You can imagine, every single time we go anywhere near Knox Park, I always make the kids stop and look the grass. Make them look how pretty it is. And if they have friends in the car, I make them look as well. Being good kids, they all say how lovely it looks. Or how soft it is to sit upon, and how much fun they now have in Knox Park. Sometimes other peoples kids are more likely to give you compliments than your own.