Grass of Home

The lawns of the Istana, Asian Civilisation Museum, HortPark and Fort Canning Park are carpeted with the last remnants of one of the few native species of grasses here. Zoysia matrella, or Manila grass, is a fine-leaved, hardy grass resistant to trampling and lack of sunlight. But it is used in less than 10% of public green spaces here because it is pricey.

Zoysia matrella

Most of the island's public spaces are covered with cow grass, a coarser South American native species and a leftover from British colonial times. Cow grass, or Axonopus compressus, does not need as much watering and tending as other grasses, but it tends to develop bald patches under heavy foot traffic and water logged, muddy conditions. Sport fields are either turfed with cow grass - which costs about $25000 for a standard-sized football field - or synthetic turf at a cost of about $500000 said the Singapore Sports Council. The upcoming Sport Hub, for instance will use cow grass.

Cow grass

That type is the cheapest at $4 to $6 per square metre, compared with $8 to $12 for Zoysia varieties but the price does not factor in concerns such as proper drainage  and whether it will thrive in shady conditions. The National Parks Board (Nparks) is studying a dozen types of grasses in order to see if the country should re-patch some areas with better grass.

The grasses being tested include Manilla grass and cow grass, but also Bermuda grass and seashore paspalum, among others. Bermuda grass and seashore paspalum are frequently used on golf courses for their lush, high density appearance, but need more watering and mowing than other species. Nparks will reach a decision after a year long of study which will be completed near the end of this year.

Bermuda grass

Seashore paspalum

Twelve types of grasses may seem like a lot to test out, but there are several hundred species of grasses that can be used for turfing lawns. In the United States, temperate grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass are popular in the northern latitudes, while more tropical species such as Bermuda grass are popular in warm states like Florida.

Kentucky bluegrass

Grass also serve important environmental and economic functions. They can be so hardy that if you denude the earth and walk away, the first thing that you will be back is grass. A single square metre of grass produces enough oxygen for one person for a day, and sequesters carbon dioxide. And grass root systems can be up to 30cm deep in healthy soil, holding the soil together and preventing erosion.

Grass lowers surface temperatures as well, and is used in green rooftops and green walls to help keep buildings from overheating. Some turf grasses can tolerate and accumulate high levels of chemical and organic pollutants in a soil-cleaning process called phytoremedication. For example, Bermuda grass can absorb hydrocarbons, while some fescues (a tufted, cool-climate grass) can take up radioactive isotopes.

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