Nursery World - Outdoors: The plants in my street

Let grass grow, says Julie Mountain, and discover a world of sensory, STEM and environmental benefits

plant of the month: grass

Lemongrass, papyrus, bamboo and cereals are all types of grass, which is grown in some form in almost every environment on earth. The chances are you have at least one patch of ‘fescue’ or ‘lolium’ in your setting – common or garden grass (a good starting point for investigations) – while adding a few extra grass species to your setting can quickly add interest, play value and biodiversity.

fact file

grass projects

real deal

Alongside Tarmac, sand and gravel, grass is one of the ‘continuous provision’ surfaces all settings should have. Please, if you’re thinking of swapping your grass for artificial turf, please reconsider. Leaving aside the environmental damage of yet more plastic, I hope this article has convinced you of the many pleasures young children can have with the real thing. Plastic turf offers children nothing of value, whereas real grass sustains life and learning and is worth the effort. Embrace those mud patches (and reseed with Sprogs & Dogs each year to keep on top of the worn-out parts).

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included