Premium artificial grass
Premium artificial grass is not one product, it is a set of decisions: how deep the pile sits, how the yarn is shaped, what the backing is made from, how water leaves the lawn and how long the manufacturer is prepared to guarantee it. Two lawns at the same price can differ on every one of those points.
This page explains what those characteristics mean in a British garden, so a lawn can be judged on its specification rather than on a badge. Every figure quoted below comes from the catalogue and appears again, product by product, on the individual product pages and in the comparison table further down.
London Grass supplies the Royal Grass® range by the square metre. We do not grade the lawns into good, better and best, because the right choice depends on the garden, the household and how the lawn will be used.
What to compare before you pay more
Eight characteristics separate a lawn that lasts from one that looks tired after two winters. Each one is shown on our product pages, so a specification can be checked rather than assumed.
Pile height
Pile height is the length of the blade in millimetres, and it is the most visible difference between two lawns. A short pile keeps a tight, even surface and brushes clean quickly; a deeper pile feels softer underfoot, looks fuller and hides the seams of the sub-base beneath it.
- Pile heights in our catalogue run from roughly 30mm to 52mm
- Height alone is not a measure of quality: a well-built 35mm lawn can outlast a poorly built 50mm one
- Deeper piles need a little more brushing to keep the blades standing up
Yarn shape and recovery
The yarn is the fibre the blades are made from, and its shape decides how a lawn feels and how it springs back. Straight yarns give a crisp, dense finish; shaped and textured yarns feel softer and catch the light in a way that reads more like living grass. The yarn type of each lawn is listed on its product page.
- Recovery matters more than softness in a garden used by children, dogs or garden furniture
- A good lawn returns upright after being stood on in the same place
Backing construction
Underneath the pile sits the backing, which holds the tufts in place and lets water out. A heavier, better-bonded backing keeps the lawn stable, resists rippling and holds the tufts through years of traffic. The backing specification is listed on every product page.
- A permeable backing lets rain pass into the sub-base instead of sitting on the surface
- Most long-term failures start here, with tufts pulling out or seams lifting
Drainage
Artificial grass does not absorb water, so every drop leaves through the pile, the backing and the sub-base beneath it. In most London gardens it is the sub-base, not the grass, that decides whether the lawn drains well, and a lawn that already holds water needs the groundworks corrected before any grass is laid.
- A permeable sub-base and a fall of about 1 in 100 away from the house
- Clay soils usually need a drainage layer or drainage cells
- Households with dogs should put drainage above every other consideration
Manufacturer warranty
The warranty is the manufacturer's statement about the life of the product, and it differs lawn by lawn. It covers manufacturing defects, such as UV degradation or delamination, rather than accidental damage, burns or misuse, so the wording matters as much as the number of years.
- The warranty for each lawn is listed on its product page
- A long warranty is only worth paying for if the installation beneath it is done properly
Roll width and joins
Grass arrives in rolls of a fixed width, so the wider the roll, the fewer joins a garden needs. Fewer joins means less waste, a cleaner surface and less to go wrong in future. The lawns in our catalogue are supplied on 4m rolls, which is enough width for many gardens in a single run.
- Compare the roll widths on the product page against your widest measurement
- Where a join is unavoidable it should run away from the main view and be bonded properly
Colour and how it reads outdoors
Colour is the hardest thing to judge from a screen. Artificial grass is made from several tones blended together so it does not flatten into one shade, and the same lawn looks different in bright sun, in shade and at dusk. A physical sample is the only reliable test.
- Ask for samples of the two lawns you are deciding between
- Darker greens look richer in shade, lighter blends hold their colour in full sun
The whole installed cost
Grass is one line of an installation quote. Sub-base, weed membrane, edging, fixing and labour are all part of the job, and a premium lawn on a poor sub-base will fail in exactly the same way as a cheap one. Budget for the groundwork first, then buy the best grass the remainder allows.
- Prices on this site are per square metre excluding VAT, with delivery priced from your postcode at checkout
- Installation is quoted separately, after the site has been seen
When premium is not the right choice
Paying more only makes sense where the lawn will be used and seen. Three common cases where a mid-range lawn is the more sensible purchase.
Small courtyards and balconies
A few square metres underfoot gets little traffic, so a mid-range lawn with a good backing will look just as good as the top of the range.
Let-only or temporary gardens
Where the lawn may only be in place for a short time, the money is better spent on correct preparation than on the deepest pile available.
When the groundwork is compromised
If the budget only stretches to one thing, a proper sub-base under a modest lawn will outlast a premium lawn laid on soil and hope.
The Royal Grass® lawns we supply
Every active lawn in the catalogue, shown with the specifications held for it. They are listed in no particular order of quality: the table exists so the differences can be read, not so one lawn can be declared the winner.
Pile 35mm
A dense, lifelike 35mm lawn with a full, seductive charm.
Pile 36mm
A silky soft 36mm lawn with a fresh green colour that brightens any garden.
Pile 50mm
An extremely soft lawn with fine fresh green blades for a wild, spring look.
Pile 52mm
A tall, dense 52mm grass-green lawn built for intensive use by children and pets.
Pile 52mm
A tall, full 52mm summer-green lawn with sun-tanned blades, ideal for gardens with children and pets.
Pile 42mm
A tall 42mm lawn with a natural, sun-kissed summer look.
Pile 30mm
A short, tight 30mm lawn that feels soft underfoot with a fresh green spring look.
Pile 30mm
A classic 30mm lawn with a sleek yet playful grass-green look.
Pile 35mm
A full, sleek 35mm lawn that suits gardens with children playing.
Pile 36mm
A freshly cut 36mm lawn with an airy, playful look for ornamental gardens.
| Lawn | Pile height | Colour | Yarn | Backing | Warranty | Roll widths | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Grass® Aura | 30mm | Fresh green | — | REBel® triple backing | 9–15 years | 4m | £25.99 /m² ex VATVAT £5.20£31.19 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Seda | 30mm | Grass green | — | Double backing | 15 years | 4m | £25.99 /m² ex VATVAT £5.20£31.19 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Elite | 35mm | — | — | Double backing | 15 years | 4m | Price on application |
| Royal Grass® Silk 35 | 35mm | Grass green | — | Double backing | 15 years | 4m | £25.99 /m² ex VATVAT £5.20£31.19 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Allure | 36mm | Fresh green | — | Double backing | 15 years | 4m | £24.99 /m² ex VATVAT £5.00£29.99 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Wave | 36mm | Grass green | — | Double backing | 15 years | 4m | £24.99 /m² ex VATVAT £5.00£29.99 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Lush | 42mm | Fresh green | — | Double backing | 15 years | 4m | £26.99 /m² ex VATVAT £5.40£32.39 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Blossom | 50mm | Fresh green | — | REBel® triple backing | 15 years | 4m | £48.99 /m² ex VATVAT £9.80£58.79 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Bloom | 52mm | Grass green | — | REBel® triple backing | 15 years | 4m | £31.99 /m² ex VATVAT £6.40£38.39 inc VAT |
| Royal Grass® Bliss | 52mm | Sun-tanned summer green | — | REBel® triple backing | 15 years | 4m | £29.99 /m² ex VATVAT £6.00£35.99 inc VAT |