This sun-dappled patch looks like any residential garden but it is actually spruced up by artificial grass, courtesy of GT Turfworks.

MANILA, Philippines — I’m all for the beauty and simplicity of natural grass carpeting lawns and other available exterior space that needs some sprucing up. It softens an otherwise modern architectural theme, makes grand houses look hospitable and injects any garden with an expansive look. In the house of my childhood—a bungalow-type, single-detached unit popular among Overseas Filipino Workers—our front yard was lit up with squares and squares of Bermuda grass, their tufts prickling my ankles at play.

I wasn’t then aware how expensive it was keeping that yard green with grass. We needed to keep in modest employ a gardener who would water, trim and fertilize the grass. In the heat of summer, the grass would curl brown and useless, exposing the unsightly brown soil in which it had once drawn its nourishment. That meant we had to go the garden shop and purchase squares of grass again, layers and layers of them to be wrapped in newspaper.

If only my parents had stumbled upon artificial grass which was already available in the ‘70s. There would be no need for watering, trimming and fertilizing. We would have green, even and healthy-looking grass all day and night.

Since then, plenty of innovations have taken place in manufacturing equipment, polymer formulation and color and design conceptualization that would convince doubters to the virtues of artificial grass, now a widely available product courtesy of GT Stoneworks, which has carved its name in the construction industry mainly for its wall claddings, paving blocks and concrete stamping system.

GT Turfworks is made from a combination of high-grade polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon and other materials, meant to evoke the look and the feel of natural grass based on monofilament and fibrillated fiber styles. Treated with UB stabilizers, GT Turfworks’ artificial grass is designed to withstand heat and rain without the evidence of fading. This is important since what you mainly rely on for artificial grass is its rich green tone and aesthetic effect.

The company carries both decorative and functional grass, products that inevitably address the concerns of those who would require grass in their property. The decorative grass, as its name suggests, is meant to beautify the space surrounding a structure (gardens and verandas) or simply an open field (playgrounds and courtyards) as it mimics the characteristics of natural grass. The functional grass, on the other hand, is high-endurance product designed for outdoor sports (soccer, golf and tennis) where all-weather playability is required. Unlike natural grass, GT Tuftworks’ functional grass has none of the former’s lumps and bumps, featuring a consistency in surface and texture that ensures better game play and safety.

Installation of GT Turfworks artificial grass involves preparing the base surface, rolling out the grass, seaming the edges and finally, applying sand fill. When it comes to maintenance, it’s obvious that you remove all the tedious process (prepping up the soil, fertilizing, watering and mowing) that comes with keeping a patch of natural grass. In the long run, you save more money and natural resources with having artificial grass.

There’s no question that the actual look, texture and smell of natural grass can’t quite be beat and I doubt if our need for it will altogether disappear. But in cases where we require consistency and virtually no maintenance for our open spaces, GT Turfworks offers a nifty solutions, and quick.

GT Turfworks are available at all Wilcon Depot and Supply Outlets. Visit www.gtstoneworks.com.ph for details.