Estate Living Magazine Design for living - Issue 42 June 2019 | Page 48

C O M M U N I T Y
L I V I N G
Which grass is greener?
If you do have to plant a lawn, your choice of species is relatively limited in South Africa, depending on where you live, and how much sun or
shade the area in question is likely to receive.
LM Berea: Dactyloctenium australe – a soft-bladed, creeping grass that tolerates shade but not frost, and that prefers
low foot traffic. Grow it if you live at the coast (from KwaZulu-Natal all the way down to the Garden Route), and keep the
mower set on high – both because the species prefers it, and because it’ll give you a softer, more comfortable place to
lie. It’s great around pools!
Buffalo lawn: Stenotaphrum secundatum – broad-leaved and dark green in the full sun, finer and lighter in the shade,
Buffalo is a slow-growing indigenous grass that’s usually acceptable on estates that demand indigenous planting. Like
LM Berea, it is neither frost- nor traffic-tolerant, but its slow rate of growth is a boon when it comes to frequency of
mowing. Keep the mower set on high.
Gulf Green (golf green, RD 93, or royal blue): Cynodon transvaalensis – this very soft, very fine, emerald-green,
indigenous species is ideal for cricket wickets and putting greens. And high-end residential developments, of course.
It grows only in the full sun, and it doesn’t like heavy frost, but it has the advantage of remaining green throughout the
winter, so it’s a great choice for the Western Cape (even though it’s a bit of a water hog). If you like your grass short, this
one will tolerate cutting to as low as 3mm.
Kweek (Bermuda grass): Cynodon dactylon – this aggressive, fine-leaved, indigenous grass tolerates (loves!) high
levels of traffic, and produces a wonderful sward when properly cared for (use a roller-mower, and watch your watering
regime). It’s ideal for kids – the grass burns aren’t as burny – and perfect for estates and other public areas. It’s deep-
rooted and aggressive, though, so it’ll probably try to invade your flower beds. And it’s difficult to farm, so good-quality
roll-on sods are hard to find. But it grows easily from seeds, especially if you add large amounts of compost to the
ground before you sow. http://pza.sanbi.org/cynodon-dactylon
Kikuyu: Pennisetum clandestinum – WHY? Why would you even do this to yourself, your property, or your country?
Although kikuyu has become urban South Africa’s most common lawn species, it’s not indigenous, it’s highly invasive,
and it’s listed in the NEMBA* regulations under category 1b: ‘Invasive species which must be controlled and, wherever
possible, removed and destroyed. Any form of trade or planting is strictly prohibited’ (although this doesn’t seem
to have stopped the growers or landscapers when it comes to kikuyu). To be fair, kikuyu is legally only prohibited in
‘protected areas and wetlands in which it does not already occur’, but with so many other great choices, the question
has to be repeated: why choose the devil? See invasives.org.za for more (damning) information about this monster of
a grass.
* NEMBA: The National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (10/2004) https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/
legislations/nema_amendment_act10.pdf
Keep the grass off
Although most ground covers won’t tolerate much (or any) foot traffic, they’re generally colourful, rewarding,
and (we love this part) relatively easy to maintain, which makes them wonderful substitutes for lawns.
• Carpet daisy: Dymondia margaretae – loves sun, tolerates frost, takes some foot traffic, grows flat on the
ground (flat-flat!), produces lovely, sunny, yellow flowers above neat, compact blue-grey foliage. Perfect
in a chequerboard between paving stones or in a sun-filled courtyard. And it’s indigenous, too. If the
carpet daisy were competing in a talent show, it’d definitely attract the biggest golden buzzer of the night.