Top tips to achieve the perfect striped lawn

A striped lawn makes your garden look special

The distinct two-tone green stripes we observe are somewhat an optical illusion. The light is reflected differently depending upon which direction the stripes are laid. There are different ways you can stripe your lawn, and this is down to personal preference – long ways will give you the appearance of a long garden, while striping width ways will make your garden look wider. If you like this look as much as we do, here are a few little tips worth knowing:

• Keep your lawn well-watered. The effect is much stronger when the grass is green and lush

• Mow your lawn in the morning when the ground has a little surface dew. A damp lawn is better than dry lawn grass and will show the stripe better

• Begin by mowing a border around the perimeter of the lawn. This will allow you the space to manoeuvre at the end of each new pass. Mow the perimeter a second time after you have finished

• Start in middle and work outwards if you want a focal point to standout in your garden. If you think about this from the same perspective as wallpapering your house, it’s drawing your eye to a focal point

• Be precise in your driving. Line up the edge of the Powered Grass Collector (PGC) or PGC+ with the previous stripe – remember that this is what’s laying the stripe, not the cutter deck or the front wheel

• Mow little and often and try to use the same pattern. To some degree this will ‘train’ your grass to lay flat in the same direction

• Don’t set the PGC’s brush too low. Let the roller do the stripes. If the brush is set too low, it will back comb the grass and give a poor finish

• Practice, practice, practice – Format stripes from your chosen focal point e.g. middle of the lawn and your reference point (front door e.g.) to make it symmetrical

• Long, straight stripes are what you should be aiming for, and this will come with plenty of practice. Drive in a straight line, again use a reference point and this also comes with driving experience

Now sit back and enjoy the quintessential British striped lawn finish that gardeners around the world are envious of. Contact your local Countax dealer for further information about how the Countax tractor, combined with the optional PGC+ can create the ultimate striping effect on your lawn.