by John Callan

Created on: April 12, 2010

Picking the Best Grass Types For Your Lawn. Whether you are reseeding you lawn or seeding a new area it is important to consider several factors before starting your project.

It can be overwhelming for most consumers seeing the sheer number of choices available for lawns today. Which is the best variety to make your home look great?

In choosing grass types narrow down your choices based on the climate in which you live. Overall, grass types divide into two categories: cool weather grasses (such as Kentucky Blue Grass, types of Fescue, and Perennial Ryegrass) and warm weather grasses (like Bermuda, Zoysia, St Augustine, Buffalo, or Bahia grass).

Next, you want to consider the average rainfall of your area since some grass types tolerate droughts while others demand plentiful water. The final weather-based requirement comes down to sun versus shade. Some grass types need far more sunlight than others.

In addition to climate variations, take into account your lifestyle needs. Do you like spending time in the garden or do you prefer a low-maintenance lawn you can ignore for long periods and have it remain green? Fine-leaf fescue (for cool climates) and Bahia (for warm climates) are two low-maintenance grass types.

You also must judge how much traffic your lawn gets - do you have young children constantly playing on it? Or is it primarily a showpiece that no one steps on?
All of this determines which grass will thrive on your lawn, because while fine-leaf fescue requires very little maintenance, it also has no tolerance for traffic. Bermuda Grass, on the other hand, tolerates traffic well but doesn't like the shade. So, don't let the number of choices overwhelm you - use them to your advantage by narrowing down your requirements and then finding the grass type that will meet your needs and give you a beautiful green lawn to enjoy.

What is the best lawn grass for you?

Today there is a wide variety of grass species to select from for adorning your landscape. For Kentucky Bluegrass there are more than 100 different varieties. As late as 1950, there was only one variety of Kentucky Bluegrass. With so many choices, how do you know what's right for your backyard?

Here are six key factors to consider when deciding which grass is best for you.

Maintenance required: Some grass species require more care than other high maintenance grasses.

Climate conditions: Most grasses have a preference for specific climates such as cool humid, coastal, and dry.

Temperature tolerance:

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