Why you should have artificial turf (fake grass)

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I love the look of my backyard. There are interesting plants to look at, a table where I can sit and ponder this and that, and plenty of space for my tiny little dachshund. And I especially like the artificial turf (the fake grass).

If you have a small backyard like mine, I recommend artificial turf. When I first moved here there was grass, and as nice as grass is, it's annoying to care for, and keep looking nice. Plus you can't put furniture on it the way you can with artificial turf. And while it's still just plastic, and can't possibly be as soft as real grass, it's a whole lot softer than paving or concrete. I've seen backyards with hard surfaces and I think they're just awful. The heat and glare, especially in areas like Phoenix, is just horrible, and they start to look terrible just about right away. They need to be constantly swept, or they look messy. My artificial turf actually looks better with a few fallen leaves on it - makes it look more natural. And the only maintenance I do is with a small hand-held blower, and it takes about ten minutes. I blow the leaves up into the garden, where they become mulch. The tree's roots are starting to bulge the far area over there, and with paving it would be making a mess, with the turf, the grass just moves with it, and looks natural. Look right where Macintosh is looking.

As of this writing, the artificial turf will be eleven years old this year, a year younger than my dog. And yes, it was an investment. I had it professionally installed and even this tiny area cost me a couple thousand dollars. Whether I saved that amount over the years not dealing with grass doesn't matter to me, it's been a pleasure to have.

No, I'm not getting a kick-back from an artificial turf company, I just like seeing it. Just like I like seeing gardens. I like the idea that you can make your little corner of the world a more beautiful place. My garden is my favorite place to be. There was a time when I just pictured a "Tropical Paradise" in my backyard, and now it's a reality.

Excuse me, I'm going to take my coffee outside and look around. And I'm pretty sure that my dog will help me! We like it there.

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