Artificial turf

Artificial turf is a synthetic grass carpet rolled out over a compacted, free-draining base and pinned at the edges. It needs no mowing, no watering, and no growing season, which is the whole pitch.

It earns its keep in specific spots: deep shade where nothing grows, a dog run that real grass cannot survive, a small courtyard, or a dry-climate yard under permanent water restrictions. In those cases it solves a problem turf never could.

It is not a universal answer, and the trade-offs are real. It runs hot in direct sun, costs a lot up front, lives roughly 10 to 15 years before it needs replacing, and the base has to drain or it puddles and smells. Good for a problem patch; rarely the right call for a whole yard.