The most common types of grass in the UK | MOOWY

Do you know what types of grass you have in your garden? I say “types” because most gardens in the UK have a grass mix. Mixes are often selected to increase disease- and drought resistance, but are the types of grass in your garden suitable for how you use your lawn and your garden’s conditions?

Hmm. There’s a question. And while we shouldn’t fret about it, we can ensure that we incorporate more of the grass varieties we need when we overseed. 

More about that later. 

This article is about the different types of grass you’ll commonly find in British gardens. And you might be surprised to discover that grass is more interesting than you thought. 

What are lawn grasses?

It might seem like a daft question, but have you noticed how the grass on your lawn differs from the grass you find on countryside walks?

Meadowgrass tends to be coarser than lawn grass in the UK, and well-fed turf is often a deep green colour — of course, fertilising helps. 

But have you ever noticed that lawn grass is broader-leafed in more tropical climes? And when you walk on a lawn in Tenerife, for example, there’s a different foot feel — as though the turf is less yielding underfoot. 

This is because various types of lawn grass are suited to different climates.

How many types of grass are there?

There are actually 160 grass species commonly found in the UK. That might sound a lot, but across the planet, there are over 11,000 species, making grasses one of the world’s most varied and adaptable plant species. 

There are ornamental grasses, meadow grasses, and grasses that we eat: rice and wheat immediately spring to mind, but there are also many forageable grasses that grow in the wild.

Cool-season grasses versus warm-season grasses

The UK climate fits within zones 7-10 in the USDA hardiness zones chart (USDA is the US Department of Agriculture), which means our typical climate averages between 0℃ and 35℃. Generally, cool-season grasses are suited to regions with significant temperature fluctuations and cold winters — a fairly reliable definition of the UK’s climate. 

Cool-season grasses include:

Fescues, including fine fescue, tall fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Perennial ryegrass

Warm-Season grasses include:

Bermuda grass, centipede grass, St Augustine grass, Zoysia grass, Bahiagrass, and Buffalo grass

The most common lawn types in the UK

The most common grasses found in the UK are narrow-leafed varieties. They’re grown for their naturally attractive aesthetic, although heavy-use lawns require a more robust variety than an ornamental grass variety.  

More about that later. 

The four most common types of lawn grass in the UK are:

• Perennial ryegrass
• Annual meadowgrass
• Slender creeping red fescue
• Kentucky Bluegrass

Perennial ryegrass

Ryegrass grows quickly and has a high level of natural resistance. We mow our lawns regularly, which means we need a grass variety with remarkable recovery powers — ryegrass is the ideal candidate.

Ryegrass provides excellent lawn coverage but needs regular mowing to look its best. During peak growing season, ryegrasses need cutting up to twice a week, requiring a lot of care. And a lot of fertiliser to keep it robust and resistant. 

Nonetheless, ryegrasses are the most prevalent lawn grass choice in the UK and the US. Ryegrass seed is usually a little cheaper than other varieties, which also accounts for its popularity, but ryegrass is particularly suited to our temperate climate.

Annual meadowgrass

Meadowgrass is sometimes considered a weed grass because it’s likely to take root where it hasn’t been invited. Nonetheless, annual meadowgrass is favoured in the UK because of its broad adaptability. 

Annual meadowgrass isn’t as fussy in terms of terrain as other British lawn grasses, so it’s a good choice for shady and soggy gardens. The dense, shallow roots make this species comfortable in all types of soil.

However, annual meadowgrass is shorter-lived than many other lawn grasses, being less resilient to drought (because of the shallower roots). Additionally, this grass variety isn’t a great fan of the winter, hence the “annual”. 

Annual meadowgrass is quite needy in terms of maintenance, so it’s not the first choice for people who want a low-care lawn. You’ll find annual meadowgrass on bowling greens and golf courses, which means that annual meadowgrass is quite happy being cut short. 

Slender Creeping Red Fescue

Red fescue is a slow-growing grass variety with fine, needle-like blades that creeps and spreads. This can be helpful in large lawns, preventing bald patches, but red fescue can always creep into your flowerbeds, which is less attractive. 

Slender creeping red fescue is a favoured variety for bowling greens and golf courses because it’s attractive, durable, and has good drought resistance. It takes hold relatively rapidly, making this variety a popular choice for new lawns. 

Kentucky Bluegrass

Despite the name, Kentucky bluegrass is green. So, no worries there, then. 

Kentucky bluegrass has an excellent structure with plenty of aggressive sideways growth for strength. With superb winter hardiness, this variety has a remarkable capacity for self-repair. This cool-season grass variety is found widely across the UK, even up in the northernmost tip of Scotland. 

However, Kentucky bluegrass doesn’t thrive in the shade and can be susceptible to street damage from drought and excessive heat.

Nonetheless, Kentucky bluegrass is a very welcome, robust grass variety as a component of a seed mix.  

What grass seed type do I need?

Think first about your garden’s conditions. Is your soil well-drained and sandy or heavy clay? Is there good sunlight exposure, or is some (or all) of your lawn constantly in the shade?

And consider how you intend to use your lawn because ornamental varieties aren’t particularly robust enough to endure heavy use. 

Sports & Fun

MOOWY’s Sports & Fun lawn seed offers excellent durability for heavy-use lawns. The seeds are fast-germinating, and the beautiful grass blades proliferate once established. A mix of perennial ryegrass, red fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass, you’ll have a beautiful lawn capable of enduring ball games and parties. 

Quick Repair 

MOOWY’s Quick Repair lawn seed is a wonderful overseeding mix. It’s designed to help repair lawn bald spots quickly, returning your turf’s vitality in no time. This mix is high in perennial ryegrass, which establishes speedily and with a fine structure. And with a 20% mix of red fescue, your lawn becomes lush and thick quickly. 

Premium lawn seed

MOOWY’s Premium lawn seed is the choice for ornamental lawns that are more for aesthetics than heavy use. With outstanding decorative value, this mix has a high proportion of red fescue for fullness, ryegrass for fast growth, and Kentucky bluegrass for sideways growth. 

Shade & Sun

MOOWY’s Shade & Sun lawn seed is beautiful in sunny and shaded areas. If you have a section of your lawn that never seems to grow, this is your seed mix for guaranteed coverage — even near trees, fences, shrubs, and bushes. High proportions of perennial ryegrass and red fescue offer a robust structure. And the addition of 10% Kentucky Bluegrass helps ensure comprehensive grass coverage. 

Power lawn

If grass could wear shoulder pads, it would be in the guise of MOOWY’s Power Lawn. This hardy mix offers a long life cycle provided by perennial ryegrass and red fescue. Offering excellent fast-growing coverage, Power lawn will transform your garden into premier-league football quality in no time. 

Any questions?

We hope we’ve provided the information you need to transform your lawn and choose the best seed mix for your future show lawn. But if you’ve got questions, we’d love to answer them. 

Email us, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we possibly can!

Thanks for reading. 🙂

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