If you're looking to create a lawn, you have two primary options – natural grass and artificial grass. How do you know which one to choose?

There are several factors to take into account. Read on to compare, contrast, and (hopefully) figure out which works best for you. For more advice and information, visit an online lawn mowing platform.

Natural grass isn’t a one-price-fits-all solution. You can choose either seeds or turf. Seeds are significantly cheaper, but generally, it's an option only for people who have time to let the grass grow. Turf can be laid instantly.

Once your natural grass is laid, you need to factor in maintenance costs. It will need to be mowed, watered, fed, and reseeded as required. All of these things incur a cost.

Artificial grass needs no such maintenance, but the initial outlay cost is significantly higher than that of natural grass. Depending on where you buy your artificial grass, you may be able to spread the cost with a repayment plan, and it's likely that over the life of your lawn, you'll recoup the higher price because of the low maintenance nature of the grass.

As well as financial cost, natural grass represents a much bigger time commitment than artificial options. This is again due to maintenance. All that weeding, trimming, and watering takes time and effort. You can pay someone to do this for you if you'd prefer, but you’ll need to factor the price into your budget. Even a week or so without maintenance could leave your lawn looking sloppy.

As it doesn't grow, artificial grass needs neither watering nor mowing. If you want to keep it looking fresh, you can rinse it with water on occasion, and rake it to keep the blades of grass standing upright. You'll need to pick up any debris, too, but that's about it. It's so easy!

Living in warmer climes, you need to consider how much water you feel comfortable using just to maintain a lawn. Natural grass, even in small-to-medium lawns, can use tens of thousands of gallons of water a year. This isn't an ideal environmental solution. Artificial grass needs no water to survive. As mentioned above, it just needs an occasional rinse.

While lawns are generally straightforward expanses of plain grass, there are notable differences between the appearance of artificial and natural lawns. Developments in technology mean that artificial grass looks more realistic than ever, but you'll never be able to replicate the variety of textures you get from a natural lawn. If you want something that looks a little wilder or more rustic, natural may be the way to go. The aesthetic benefit of artificial grass is that it remains perfect year-round. Natural grass, by contrast, can struggle in extreme weather or deteriorate due to wear and tear. If you have children or pets, your lawn may wear down pretty quickly.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll be easily able to craft the lawn of your dreams.