The 3 Best Uses and Applications for Elite Backyard Blend

Cool season grasses can have a tough time in Australia. With almost every state blessed with the ability to hit 40C – if blessed is indeed the right word to use – the traditional mainstay grasses of Europe and North America can be found out during the Australian summer. More often we’ll go for warm season grasses that will have originated in places like Asia and Africa, evolving to cope far better with the heat.

But this tendency towards warm season grasses does mean that Australians can miss out on some of the most beautiful lawns available. Ryegrasses and Fescues, both cool season grasses that have forever been popular in the northern hemisphere, are some of the softest and most beautiful turfs available. But purely due to the fact that they are cool season they can be instantly written off by the bulk of Aussie lawn owners.

Until now, that is.

McKays have been working for years to develop a blend of ryegrasses and fescues that will better cope with Australian conditions, finally offering the stunning looks and comfort down under that those in Europe and North America take for granted. McKays’ Elite Backyard Blend combines 35% Sports Turf Ryegrass, 35% Turf Tall Fescue, 20% Creeping Red Fescue and 10% McKays’ Slow Release Fertiliser to create a blend that not only looks and feels great, but is also up to the task of tackling the challenging conditions that the Australian climate can deliver.

So what uses does this lawn lend itself to? Here are three applications which McKays’ Elite Backyard Blend will be perfect for.

1) Residential Lawns

As a residential lawn, the Elite Backyard Blend is hard to beat. The grass’s aforementioned beauty and soft feel are the most obvious perks, making your lawn the envy of your neighbours. But there are a few other reasons that Elite may be your best suburban turf option.

With a germination period that is generally under two weeks it’s relatively quick to establish, meaning your back or front yard won’t be out of action for too long before it’s ready to be used. And unlike Australian favourites like Couch or Kikuyu which require nothing less than full sun to thrive, It’s also a grass that is incredibly shade tolerant. If your yard is enclosed by other buildings, or has trees and shrubs that overhang the space, Elite Backyard Blend will ensure that the shaded spots remain just as healthy as those in full sun.

2) Commercial Landscapes

The supermodel looks of the Elite Backyard Blend make it a great display grass for commercial landscapes. And with three different grass varieties covering for one another’s weaknesses, it’s also surprisingly low maintenance. While it will do the grass well to be irrigated regularly, other aspects of maintenance are relatively minimal, as the grass doesn’t grow overtly fast, nor is it particularly susceptible to pests and disease.

3) Parks and Playgrounds

The public parks and playgrounds of Australia’s temperate regions are also a great place to put McKays’ Elite Backyard Blend. As mentioned above, apart from a good soak every now and again the maintenance requirements of Elite are minimal, and the look and feel are almost unmatched.

But on top of that, the traffic tolerance of Elite is incredible (thanks mainly to the use of Sports Turf Type Ryegrass), making it perfect for areas that will experience high wear and tear. Frosts will also be dealt with excellently by Elite.

It needs to be noted that McKays’ Elite Backyard Blend is still a combination of three cool season grasses, and as such isn’t appropriate for use in regions north of the sub-tropics. For the more temperate areas of Australia, however, this blend will cope admirably with the summer conditions, having been bred to be both summer and winter active.

If you’ve got any further questions regarding whether McKays’ Elite Backyard Blend is the best option for your situation, don’t hesitate to contact the friendly team at McKays!