The tide is turning in Britain’s gardens, where people are increasingly realising the benefits of artificial grass as a cost-effective, low-maintenance, all-weather alternative to natural lawns.

According to leading garden designers, synthetic grass has only recently caught on among Britain’s gardeners - despite being around for 45 years and having long been a popular solution in hot and arid countries, such as the Middle East and the southwestern United States, where natural grass would struggle to grow.

One of the main reasons cited for this late pick-up is the continuing development of premium quality artificial grass, which boasts a level of realism above and beyond the standards of artificial grass of decades past. Writing for the Guardian, designer Dawn Isaac pointed out the various differences between premium grades and cheaper options - with one noticeable difference being that superior artificial grass is often now indistinguishable from the ‘real thing’, even down to mixing in deliberate off-colour strands to create an impression of dead patches.

That’s not to say that artificial lawns are merely a second-rate alternative to natural turf, however - not with the many advantages unique to synthetic varieties. As Ms Isaac points out, there are many places where laying and maintaining natural grass would be impractical, such as on roof terraces and busy city streets, which can now be brightened up with a touch of green.

Artificial grass can also help home owners lessen their environmental impact, by eliminating the need for excessive watering, fertilising and mowing. But just because artificial lawns are easier to care for than natural grass doesn’t mean you can throw away your garden tools altogether - a quick monthly sweep should be enough to get rid of dead leaves and weeds.