Hi, I am in the process of laying a lawn area on the East side of my house that only gets the sun up until about 11am. As well as being an access way around the back of the house I am wanting to make it a putting area. The area is about 26 metres long, the first 14 metres is 2 metres wide and the last 11 metres is 1 metre wide. Could you please advise on the most practical product to use and the best place to get advice and purchase the product. As we live by the beach the ground is mainly sand. Thanks.

Hi Terry, you have several lawn seed options, but for lawn sowing success and because you have sandy soil, preparation of the soil is key to success. Put down a 50mm layer of tops soil or Tui Lawn Preparation mix. Make sure it is compacted down, and not spongy, before sowing the seed. The best lawn seed to use for a putting green is Superstrike Superfine, a fine fescue and brown top blend. It is drought tolerant and can be mowed to a low level to give you a lovely putting green, fescue isn't particularly hardwearing if it is also a thoroughfare and is a blend commonly used on golf putting greens. Another option is Superstrike Shady Places which is a blend of fine fescue and tall fescue, it is specially selected seed that grows in areas of low light, it is drought tolerant, a bit more hardwearing with the tall fescue in the blend, tall fescue is a coarse grass with a thicker blade. Another option is Superstrike All Seasons which is used at the rugby stadium in Wellington, it is fast growing, resilient blend of perennial rye grass, this does tend to brown off in heat in summer if not watered. The other option for coast areas is Superstrike Hot & Dry, a blend of fescue, perennial rye grass and Kentucky blue grass, to give you a quick growing, drought tolerant lawn that wears well. Looking at your photo supplied, I think I would try Superstrike Shady Places, as with any lawn it will need regular watering, feeding and mowing to get a putting green quality lawn. Our Tui website has a lot of information about lawn seed and and sowing lawns, also your local garden centre or DIY store will be able to help you. Here is the link to our lawn growing guide https://tuigarden.co.nz/how-to-guide/lawn-growing-guide/Lianne.