The lay of the lawn

Whether you use artificial grass to create a low maintenance chill spot or the real deal to soften some steps, go green and elevate your space!

- Johané Neilson, Marian van Wyk, Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel, Marié Esterhuyse and Carissa Govender

Blades of glory

While designing the walkway leading from her parent’s contemporary home in Zwavelpoort, Pretoria to the cottage located on a lower level on the erf, architect Nadine Engelbrecht made the most of the slope of the yard to create these beautiful integrated grass steps.

“The separate two-bedroom cottage, used for visiting family, is not internally connected to the main house. The grass stairs provide easy outdoor access between the two spaces,” explains Nadine. “Using grass steps softens the link and creates a continuous landscaped path.”

Working with contractor Hans Boersema and landscape architect Nandi Koster, the team planted concrete curbs into the landscape, using steel rods to secure them, then filled them with soil and planted LM grass.

Mind the gaps

Designer Marius Hitge solved the problem of a patchy, unloved lawn at his home in Welgemoed, Cape Town by laying square grey pavers in a striking harlequin pattern and filling in the gaps with low-maintenance daisy lawn (Phyla nodiflora) as groundcover instead of traditional grass. By growing scented plants including lavender, lemon trees, roses and herbs around the edges he has created an intimate outdoor room that feels like a sanctuary.