Don’t Be Fooled: Why the Best Lawn Isn’t Always the Most Expensive One
Is Expensive Turf Always Better? Let’s Talk About It.
When it comes to choosing the right grass for your backyard, it’s easy to assume that the more you spend, the better your lawn will look. But here’s the thing -price doesn’t always equal performance. Just because a turf variety costs more per square metre doesn’t mean it’ll thrive in your yard. In fact, picking the right turf for your environment - your sunlight, soil, and how you use the space - matters way more than the price tag. Let’s unpack the real difference between expensive grass and the grass that’s actually right for you.
Focus on Fit: Turf Needs to Match Your Yard, Not Your Wallet
Why it matters in QLD:
From the heat of Ipswich to the shade of a Gold Coast backyard, different conditions call for different grasses. Spending more won’t help if your turf isn’t suited to your space.
Here’s some examples where we’ve seen turf buyers make decisions based on turf price and it’s ended up costing them in the long run…
Couch may be a cheap turf, but if your home doesn’t get enough sunlight, you’ll have dirt in no time and it’ll be a costly exercise to do it all over again.
Augusta Zoysia is a premium lawn with a premium price tag, but if you’ve got a yard full of dogs, it’s not going to look too great in the long run.
With those in mind & before pulling out your wallet, here’s some quick questions you can ask yourself to find out what you really need:
How much sun/shade does your yard get?
Cheaper varieties like couch grass need 8 hours of sunlight each day, while more expensive varieties like sir walter buffalo and augusta zoysia need 2 hours at a minimum. If turf doesn’t get the sunlight it needs, it won’t thrive and may die.
Do you have pets or kids that will trample the grass alot?
While most grasses are durable enough for kids play and pets, they grow at different rates. That means that they repair at different rates as well. If you have a very active backyard that’s full of kids sports or lots of pets, a rapid grower like couch grass may be the best option (sunlight considered), while other varieties may be better suited for front of house appeal and/or lower traffic areas.
How much do you love mowing…?
If you want a nice lawn, no matter what the variety, it needs fertilising 2-3 times per year as well as herbicide and pesticide applications and watering. There are some varieties that handles less TLC than others, but when we talk about maintenance, we really are talking about mowing. If you’re not keen on mowing, couch grass is not for you. You can mow this every 5 days in summer and sometimes it may still need a trim in between depending on the weather conditions. If you’re not so keen on mowing, go for a zoysia variety that will need mowing once a fortnight or less in the hotter months.
How to Choose Turf Based on Your Yard (Not the Price Tag)
The sun, the shade, the wear and tear from pets or kids… these are the things that should guide your choice. Below, we’ve broken it down into some of the most common yard types we see in QLD paired with our expert turf recommendations.
High Sun & High Traffic:
Go for QLD Green Couch - super durable, fast to repair and thrives in 7-8 hours of sunlight.
Shaded or Courtyard Space:
Go for a buffalo variety which only needs 2 hours of sunlight and is easy to maintain. If you’re looking to add appeal to a courtyard space, go for premium Augusta Zoysia which is shade tolerant and gives a luxury look.
Family Yards with Pets:
Dogs will leave dog wee burn on any lawn, no matter what variety, so you want to go with something that grows fast enough to repair quickly. If you’ve got full sun, go with couch grass. Or if you’ve got shade, or aren’t that keen on mowing, go with a buffalo like Sir Walter. Where pets are concerned, you usually need to compromise on something.
Rental or Low-Maintenance Homes:
This is a tricky one. Most renters don’t want to spend money so they want couch, but that’s the highest maintenance of all. Go somewhere in the middle like empire zoysia which has a mid range price tag, but low maintenance and easy to look after.
What You’re Really Paying For (And What You Should Be Asking Instead)
As a Turf farm based in the Scenic Rim, we get questions like what is the best Turf for my location. Our Turf Expert Jaimie always says to this:
“In SEQ, exact suburb locations don’t really make a difference. Soil prep plays more of a part than you think i.e. just because you have clay based soil, doesn’t mean one turf variety is better than another. Instead put the work into improving your soil so that any turf thrives.
The biggest one I hear is that Gold Coast and Brisbane turf shoppers want the cheapest option but don’t want high maintenance. I tell them you either have to give in to the maintenance, or pay more for a mid range grass. Similarly, they want the cheapest grass but need something shade tolerant which isn’t couch.”
Need help picking the perfect turf?
Give us a shout — we’ll help you match the right grass to your lawn, not just your budget.