The fight to define the great British garden

IN GARDENS across Britain the grass has stopped growing. They are not parched or drought-stricken. In fact, they are greener and more immaculate than before. That is because the lawns are actually synthetic substitutes made from thermoplastic polymers.

Britons are fascinated by lawns. Country estates have long competed to have the most perfectly manicured grassland. “What you’re saying in big loud capital letters, is ‘I’m so flipping wealthy’,” says Fiona Davison of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). With the advent of the lawnmower in 1830, the middle classes joined the fun.

But now Britons have fallen in love with artificial grass. Evergreens UK, which sells the stuff, says it has seen a 120% rise in sales since 2015. Grass Direct reports they are up by 50% this year. Betap, a Dutch firm, has launched its first British designs. These match different regions: Scottish turf is darker than Cornish turf.

Artificial grass is popular with families who have children or dogs and don’t want mud traipsed through their houses. It has a glamour factor, too. Andy Driver of Evergreens UK says people now see gardens as “outside rooms”—pairing carpets of artificial turf with elaborate decked seating and hot tubs.

Not everyone is a fan. Artificial grasses contain microplastics that ruin soil, impede drainage and risk...