Types of lawn: An overview of the most common grasses for your garden

If you want to plant new grass in your garden, you shouldn't just choose any mixture. The grass seeds should suit the local conditions and also meet your requirements. There are clear differences between the individual types of grass that you should be aware of before buying.

In this article, we will introduce you to the most common types of grass and explain which gardens they feel particularly at home in. You will also find out what types of grass there are and what you should look out for when buying. At the same time, we will introduce you to our grass seed mixtures and their specific advantages.

Festuca Rubra – Red Fescue

Festuca Rubra or red fescue is characterized by its particularly dense turf. The blades are particularly fine and therefore have a great visual effect. This makes red fescue suitable for large lawns and ensures a beautiful, level surface.

Red fescue grows more slowly than other grasses: This significantly reduces the amount of maintenance required and means you have to mow less. Another advantage is that Festuca Rubra also grows in the shade and can cope well even with damp locations.

One disadvantage of the lawn, however, is that it is less resilient than other types of lawn. This is because the turf is rather soft. In lawn mixtures, however, it can form a resilient turf in combination with other grasses. Red fescue also has a higher risk of disease infestation.

Lolium Perenne – Perennial Ryegrass

Lolium Perenne or German ryegrass is a very popular lawn for gardens. This type of lawn grows particularly densely and quickly. It can withstand high levels of stress and can therefore be used wonderfully as a lawn for everyday use or for sports. If you have children or pets who like to play on your lawn, then German ryegrass is a good choice.

It is not only impressive because of its robustness, but also because of its appearance. Lolium Perenne has a lush green color. Even in very dry periods, the lawn retains this color and does not change color. So you can enjoy an attractive sports and play lawn all year round.

Perennial ryegrass grows very quickly, so you have to invest a lot of time in lawn care and mow the grass regularly. Lolium Perenne is ideal as a lawn for everyday use - but its leaves are wider than other types of grass. Many people find this less attractive.

Poa Pratensis – meadow grass

Poa Pratensis or meadow grass is characterized by a particularly dense turf with strong roots. This makes the lawn particularly robust and can withstand greater stress. If it is dry, the lawn can also cope with this.

Poa Pratensis therefore requires little care and is naturally very durable. These special features make meadow grass a good all-rounder that can be found in many seed mixtures.

However, meadow grass has the disadvantage that it grows relatively slowly and needs a certain amount of time to become fully resilient. This means that it is not only suitable for reseeding, for example. In addition, Poa Pratensis is relatively susceptible to disease compared to other grasses.

Poa Supina – Läger bluegrass

Poa Supina or meadow grass is mainly found in shade lawns. This type of grass grows excellently in both shady and damp locations. It can cope with difficult locations without much sun and creates a beautiful lawn there.

Poa Supina forms medium-wide leaves. They are light green to lush green and therefore also look good. Poa Supina is also relatively hard-wearing and can withstand normal wear and tear without any problems.

Poa Supina is one of the grass species that grows particularly slowly. In the beginning, the grass grows very little and needs at least 21 days to germinate. If you want your lawn to grow quickly, then creeping meadow grass is not the best choice.

If you want to buy seeds for your garden, you will usually look for types of grass rather than types of grass. However, it is important that you take a close look at which types are included in a mixture. An optimally balanced ratio is the best formula for a long-term beautiful lawn.

Is there different types of turf available?

If you want to have turf laid in your garden, you can choose between different types of turf. Turf is also available as ornamental turf, sports and play turf, and shade turf. Once the turf has grown, it offers you all the advantages of the individual types of turf.

Before buying, however, you should bear in mind that rolled turf is significantly more expensive than grass seeds. Laying the individual strips is also usually not cheap and involves additional costs. Professional laying is usually required for the lawn to grow - so you cannot avoid these costs.

We therefore recommend that you use high-quality lawn seeds. These are much cheaper and are available in a wide variety of mixtures. This will help you find the perfect lawn that is tailored to the specific needs of your garden.

What should I look for when buying lawn seed?

If you want to buy lawn seed, there are a few things to consider. Don't rely on your gut feeling or the promises of retailers: you need the right lawn seed for your garden and its individual needs.

That's why you should definitely take a look at the lighting conditions before buying. Does your lawn get a lot of light and warmth? Or is it more shady? Some types of lawn thrive best in full sun, others in shade. Choose your lawn seeds accordingly.

The nature of the soil is also very important. The amount of sand, clay and humus the soil contains is crucial. This affects how much water the soil can store. Most types of grass do not form deep roots and therefore have difficulty extracting water from dry soil.

Sandy soils, for example, can hardly store water. You should therefore choose a type of lawn that can cope relatively well with dryness. We recommend meadow grass, as it copes particularly well with dryness. On very clayey soils, for example, water often accumulates, which is a problem for grasses. In this case, it is best to choose a shade lawn that can cope well with a lot of moisture.

In addition to the soil conditions, you should also keep in mind the amount of care required for each type of lawn. If you don't want to invest a lot of time in caring for your lawn, then utility lawns and sports and play lawns are a good choice. Both are particularly robust and have few requirements. They will generally forgive you for dryness and irregular mowing.

If you want to re-seed your lawn, you should not use your normal lawn seeds. You can buy lawn seeds for re-seeding from RasenExpert. The special mixture has a particularly good growth rate, so gaps in the lawn will be a thing of the past within a few weeks.

How can I help my lawn grow?

No matter which type of lawn you choose, the grass needs a minimum amount of care in order to grow. Some types are much more demanding than others - but you should still take good care of your lawn, especially in summer.

This includes, above all, regular watering. Even grass varieties that tolerate drought well need additional water in the summer months. So make sure to water your lawn when temperatures are high and it hasn't rained for a while.

Applying fertilizer is also crucial. The soil in your garden loses nutrients over time, which can have a negative impact on your lawn. If you fertilize your lawn, you replenish these reserves and support healthy growth.

You can buy the right fertilizer for this at RasenExpert. We offer you a large selection of fertilizers for different seasons. This means you can provide your lawn with the ideal nutrients all year round.

Conclusion: Laying a lawn with the right type of grass for your garden

If you buy a lawn mix for your garden, one point is particularly important: the lawn grasses it contains should match the local requirements. Therefore, first check the soil conditions in your garden and what the lighting conditions are like. You should also consider the expected load on the lawn when buying grass seeds.

At RasenExpert you will find a particularly large selection of lawn mixtures for your garden. Whether ornamental lawn, shade lawn or sports and play lawn: you will find what you are looking for with us. Take a look at our range!