Western Australia’s synthetic grass specialists, Green Planet Grass, have urged WA householders to carefully consider the products they choose when installing artificial lawns and ensure that they choose Australian-made products adhering to recognised quality standards.

Synthetic grass customers should expect to have products that stand the test of time, are completely non-toxic and are guaranteed to keep their colour for several years.

The best performing synthetic lawns for the local environment and climate are manufactured in Australia for Australian conditions and do not contain any toxins meaning they are safe for pets and kids.

Not all synthetic grass companies offer the quality provided by Australian-made products and, with new artificial turf companies emerging on a regular basis, it is wise to avoid imported artificial turf that does not come with quality assurance.

Green Planet Grass lawns adhere to Australian and New Zealand safety standards, are manufactured to Quality Assured manufacturing standards (AS/NZS ISO9001:2008) and are backed by an eight-year Australian warranty against fading and general wear and tear.

Jeff Dennis, Managing Director of Green Planet Grass, said: “It is important that anyone investing in synthetic grass has confidence in the product they buy. We would urge people to shop around and find Australian-made products that are quality assured.

“Inferior quality lawns may be offered at lower prices than premium products but they are unlikely to last in the sun, and will certainly not last the 15 to 20-year lifespan that they claim to have. We have heard stories from unhappy customers dissatisfied with low cost, low quality synthetic grass so we urge people to beware of the ‘new kids on the block’ and select an established and trusted synthetic grass company that is going to be around for the long term.  A warranty is only as good as the company that sells you the grass.”

Green Planet Grass has successfully installed thousands of artificial lawns throughout Western Australia and their Australian-made products can be viewed at Perth’s largest synthetic grass showroom at 76 Erindale Road in Balcatta. The showroom is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Contact the synthetic grass specialists on 9240 8448 for a free measure and quote.

Increased use of desalination in Western Australia means that residents in the southwest of the state will be able to save even more money by installing a synthetic grass lawn.

Premier Colin Barnett announced that the capacity of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant (SSDP) as a result of decreased flow into dams and the $450m decision will mean higher water bills for householders.

This is estimated to increase domestic water bills by $1 per week and Perth’s synthetic grass specialists, Green Planet Grass, have reminded Western Australians that water bills can be drastically reduced by installing Australian-made artificial lawns.

Householders who install a 50m2 synthetic grass lawn can save around 200 litres of water a day and, with bills set to keep on rising, the savings associated with Green Planet Grass products will continue to grow over time.

Jeff Dennis, Managing Director of Green Planet Grass, said: “With water prices already having risen steeply in recent years, the additional cost associated with the new desalination commitment from the government will be felt by householders – but synthetic grass can bring significant savings over time.

“For example, if you have a 50m2 buffalo grass lawn, replacing it with synthetic grass should save around 200 litres of water a day in Perth. Synthetic grass is a one-off investment and starts saving householders water, money and time from the moment it is installed.

“Depending on the size and of synthetic grass lawn you install, the money saved on water bills could effectively pay off your initial investment in less than three years.”

Even though rainfall has been at an eight-year high during the winter of 2011, dams in the southwest were less than a third full on the first day of spring – 31.6% on September 1.  The outlook for water provision in the southwest has been a challenge for some time and has inevitably led Barnett’s government to order the provision of 100 billion litres of extra drinking water a year through the expanded desal plant.

The government says this will secure future water needs for communities from Perth to the Goldfields and that the expansion of the new plant was essential. The first stage of the desalination plant near Binningup cost $955million.

Domestic water use in Perth is highest in the garden so synthetic grass provides a genuine option for more sustainable use of our vital water resource.

The use of synthetic grass sports surfaces in Western Australia has taken another step forward with the installation of new courts approved by Sports Dev Australia at Bassendean Tennis Club.

WA’s synthetic grass specialists, Green Planet Grass, designed and installed the new courts on Guildford Road in Bassendean. The previous natural turf courts were difficult to maintain and did not provide the desired performance so the Town of Bassendean, who manage the facility, engaged the services of Green Planet Grass to provide a high performance solution.

The two new courts have been well received by club members after a very thorough project including design to national standards, demolition of the pre-existing courts, base construction, lighting, fencing and laying of the new synthetic grass surface.

Both design and construction were approved by SportDev Australia on behalf of the Town. Sport Dev Australia work with Tennis Australia to implement their facility concepts.

The courts are also starting to save the Town of Bassendean considerable sums of money thanks to reduced maintenance and the elimination of irrigation requirements.

“The Bassendean tennis courts are an important sports facility in Perth’s eastern suburbs and we were delighted to be able to provide a top class surface for tennis there,” commented Jeff Dennis, Managing Director of Green Planet Grass.

“When installing sports surfaces it is essential to get the preparatory work right and be meticulous in producing a high quality finish because these facilities are heavily used and sustain high impacts on a regular basis. The fact that the surface is approved by Sport Dev Australia shows that our tennis court design and construction are of the highest quality available in WA.”

Since 2008, Green Planet Grass has installed dozens of artificial grass and acrylic tennis courts for municipal sports facilities, private clubs and in domestic settings. Perth’s synthetic grass specialists also design and install numerous other all-weather sports surfaces including golf putting greens, cricket wickets, hockey surfaces, basketball and netball courts as well as soccer and football pitches.

The Town of Lake Grace in Western Australia’s Wheat Belt has a lush new look to one of its main public amenities thanks to an impressive transformation courtesy of WA’s leading synthetic grass specialists, Green Planet Grass.

The Lake Grace Town Pool now has a very welcoming covering of sustainable synthetic grass which will remain green for many years without any need for watering or fertilisers and drastically reduced maintenance, allowing the Shire of Lake Grace to make serious savings over the coming years.

As the town celebrates its Centenary this year, Green Planet Grass, are preparing to embark on an even bigger install of their artificial turf at the town’s barbecue area, providing Lake Grace with an attractive lawn for the 21st Century which will look stunning all year around.

Of course, the more synthetic grass the Shire installs around Lake Grace, the greater the savings will be – which was one of the Shire’s key factors in choosing the next generation of synthetic grass.

“We are really pleased with the fresh new look of the entrance to the town’s swimming pool and particularly because this will allow us to have much more sustainable turf and lawns around our public amenities,” said Sean Fletcher, Chief Executive of the Shire of Lake Grace.

“It will be very satisfying to see our barbecue area transformed in the same way and these initial projects are just the start of the Shire’s water saving initiatives. Further transformations using synthetic grass will lift the townscapes within the Shire’s communities and we will continue to use such products in the coming years.

“Everybody knows that traditional turf is very difficult to keep in good condition in our climate and there is a very real need to preserve our water resources so this is a move I think people living within the Shire can be proud of,” Mr Fletcher added.

The Shire of Lake Grace is joined by the City of Melville in Metropolitan Perth having already installed Green Planet Grass to impressive effect. The synthetic grass has also been utilised to great acclaim by many schools and sporting clubs in WA as well as thousands of domestic lawns.

Managing Director of Green Planet Grass, Jeff Dennis, said: “The Shire of Lake Grace have been very forward-thinking in their installation of synthetic grass because it is clear that this product is only going to become more widely used in domestic and public settings in the coming years.

“Synthetic grass allows those who install it to make serious long-term savings when it comes to watering and maintenance. It is a perfect solution for our climate and the synthetic grass we install looks as natural as real grass.”

Green Planet Grass is a Western Australian run and owned company providing Australian-made synthetic grass solutions for a wide range of sports, domestic and commercial applications.

Child care centres and playgrounds are amongst the quickest growing customer groups to utilise synthetic grass.

Ease of maintenance combined with the colourful vibrancy of multicoloured synthetic turf products and child-friendly surfaces make are amongst the key reasons to choose Green Planet Grass.

Natural grass is usually too hard to maintain in a dry climate with any high impact areas soon becoming a dust bath in Perth summers

The peace of mind provided by opting for an Australian-made, safety-guaranteed product is also important for managers of such facilities. Rubber shock pads were used under the grass under play equipment in compliance with AS 4685:2004

In Perth’s youthful and growing northern suburbs two new childcare centres have opted to use Green Planet Grass in producing multipurpose play areas which have proved to be a joyful environment for kids and parents alike.

Paul Chemello, Managing Director of Ashdale and Quinns Rocks Childcare Centres said: “Green Planet Grass installed over 600m2 of synthetic grass at both our childcare centres and they look terrific. They were very professional in their approach to the job.”

When choosing your supplier of synthetic grass make sure you know where the product is manufactured and always ensure that it is a completely non-toxic product containing no heavy metals – this is something Green Planet Grass places the utmost importance in and we guarantee our products are safe for children and pets.

Everyone wants to ensure their kids have the best start possible in life and we are no different!

While the people of Perth are feeling the heat (and the dry) you can bet that the people of the Wheat Belt are feeling the effects of the climate even more.

Drought is not an uncommon experience across the southwest of Western Australia and local authorities have to be extra cautious when it comes to using water. That’s one of the major reasons why the Shire of Lake Grace decided to invest in synthetic grass for their public amenities – along with the obvious aesthetic enhancements that have been made in the process.

Lake Grace is now looking better than ever after two of its main municipal areas underwent an impressive transformation courtesy of WA’s leading synthetic grass specialists.

Visitors to the Wheat Belt town’s Pool are now welcomed by an oasis of sustainable synthetic grass which will remain green for many years without any need for watering or fertilisers. The Green Planet Grass transformation of the town’s popular barbecue area has also drastically reduced maintenance costs, making serious savings over the coming years.

Lake Grace is celebrating its Centenary this year and the Shire has made a bold move to ensure a much more sustainable second century with drastically reduced irrigation requirements. Water will no longer be required in such large volumes for a town often feeling the pinch of serious dry periods.

Shire Chief Executive, Sean Fletcher, is looking to invest in more synthetic grass applications due to the serious savings associated with that reduced water consumption.

“We are really pleased with the fresh new look of the entrance to the town’s swimming pool and particularly because this will allow us to have much more sustainable turf and lawns around our public amenities,” Mr Fletcher said.

“These initial projects are just the start of the Shire’s water saving initiatives. Further transformations using synthetic grass will lift the townscapes within the Shire’s communities and we will continue to use such products in the coming years.

“Everybody knows that traditional turf is very difficult to keep in good condition in our climate and there is a very real need to preserve our water resources so this is a move I think people living within the Shire can be proud of,” he added.

Lake Grace is just one of the local government authorities in WA that is considering wider use of synthetic grass in the future. We all know that pressure on water resources is only going to grow in the coming years and decades and we need our councils to back sustainable solutions that reduce our ongoing water use – especially when they can improve the look of our surroundings at the same time!

While many young Australians will dream of the opportunity to contest grand slam tennis tournaments, surfaces in our suburbs are not always the optimum training grounds for a new generation of Lleyton Hewitts or Sam Stosurs.

Few get the opportunity to pit their wits on genuinely good natural grass turf, the like of which is found at Wimbledon. But synthetic grass is now providing a viable alternative for top class tennis clubs because it not only looks like the real thing but acts like the real thing too – only it is much easier to maintain.

Great tennis turf is difficult to maintain properly even in the most agreeable climates, requiring intensive grounds keeping throughout the year. But in the hot arid conditions encountered through Perth’s Western Australia’s long summers it becomes nearly impossible to manage natural turf.

The Bassendean Tennis Club chose synthetic grass for their new courts on Guildford Road because their natural turf was not providing the performance required. The Town of Bassendean, who manage the facility, engaged the services of Green Planet Grass to come up with a high performance solution to their turf troubles and the new courts have been as well received by club members as the numerous residential customers installing synthetic tennis courts recently.

Green Planet Grass designed and constructed the new synthetic grass courts providing a full turn-key solution for the Town. The scope of work included project design to Australian standard, demolition, base construction, lighting, fencing and of course laying the synthetic grass surface. Both the design and construction were approved by SportDev Australia on behalf of the Town. Sport Dev Australia work with Tennis Australia to implement their facility concepts.

The courts were completed in February 2011 and are now starting to save the Town of Bassendean serious sums of money thanks to reduced maintenance and the elimination of irrigation requirements.

“The Bassendean tennis courts are an important sports facility in Perth’s eastern suburbs and we were delighted to be able to provide a top class surface for tennis there,” says Jeff Dennis, managing director of Green Planet Grass.

“When installing sports surfaces it is essential to get the preparatory work right and be meticulous in producing a high quality finish because these facilities are heavily used and sustain high impacts on a regular basis. The fact that the surface is approved by Sport Dev Australia shows that our tennis court design and construction are of the highest quality available in WA.”

Hopefully synthetic tennis courts can prove to be a great training ground for West Australian tennis stars of the future.

To see the stunning effect synthetic grass can have on our street scapes it’s well worth taking a stroll down the coffee strip in Ardross Street, Applecross.

Renowned as one of the plushest shopping villages in Perth, Ardross Street was one of the first public spaces to get the Green Planet Grass makeover more than two years ago.  The City of Melville, who manage this idyllic space were keen to cut down their maintenance costs and find a durable solution in an area which proved very difficult to grow natural grass because of the large amount of pedestrian traffic on verges surrounding shops, cafes and car parking areas.

Small stones and pieces of gravel thrown out by lawn mowers had also caused problems with the paintwork of cars parked on the street being chipped so synthetic grass provided a clear solution. If you know the Ardross Street cafe strip you will know that many of those motor vehicles that frequent the shops are not the cheapest cars on the road. As a council worker you wouldn’t relish opening a letter from or picking up the phone to a well-healed and disgruntled shopper who has returned from a late morning jaunt to the boutiques with a noticeable decrease in the amount of perfect paint on their otherwise shiny Jag or Merc.

This may not be a major reason for choosing synthetic grass but it certainly removes a considerable headache – and more importantly the possibility of claims against the council!

Green Planet Grass also helped the City of Melville eliminate the ongoing cost of watering turf and drastically reduced the local authority’s maintenance bills. This means that thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money will be saved over the coming years, which is a very welcome result for the council and residents living in the area.

Of course, the reception from shoppers and people living locally was a major consideration too.

“The Green Planet Grass installed at Ardoss Street, Applecross, has been well received by local residents. It’s also provided us with an ideal solution for a high pedestrian area, which proved difficult to grow natural lawn,” says Ian Davis, Manager of Parks and Environment at the City of Melville.

Maintaining a natural lawn in Perth often proves incredibly difficult in the hot dry climate and with water restrictions set to continue, the City of Melville has found a sustainable solution which will save considerable amounts of money.

One of the most satisfying aspects of Ardross Street is the fact that it was one of the first major public areas that we installed and it still looks great today, having taken a serious amount of pedestrian traffic. If you’re thinking of installing synthetic grass then check out the cafe strip – and make sure you relax and enjoy the surrounds while you do!