Artificial grass vs natural lawn: what actually maintains itself?

Artificial grass is often pitched as "no maintenance," which oversells it a little in both directions — natural lawn is more work than artificial turf, but artificial turf is not entirely hands-off either.

What natural lawn actually costs you

A natural lawn needs regular mowing through the growing season, watering (which in Victoria can mean water restrictions in dry summers), fertilising, and occasional treatment for weeds or lawn disease. It also needs the right amount of sun — a shaded backyard will always struggle to grow thick, even lawn regardless of how it is cared for.

What artificial grass actually costs you

Artificial grass has a significant upfront cost per square metre, covering the base preparation (drainage matters a lot here), the turf itself, and installation. Once laid it needs far less ongoing work: no mowing, no watering, no fertiliser. It still needs occasional brushing to keep the fibres upright, rinsing to clear debris and pet waste, and in full sun it can get noticeably hot underfoot in summer, which matters if bare feet or pets are using the space often.

Where each one makes sense

Natural lawn tends to suit larger areas that get good sun, where the upfront cost of turfing the whole space in artificial grass would be significant, and where the household is happy to keep up a mowing routine.

Artificial grass tends to suit smaller or awkward areas, shaded spots where natural grass struggles anyway, low-water-use gardens, and situations where consistent, weed-free appearance matters more than the upfront cost.

As with any of these decisions, the site itself — drainage, sun, how the space is actually used — matters more than a general rule. Getting a contractor to look at your specific yard will tell you far more than a generic comparison can.