The best types of lawn grass for Aussie homes revealed

A beautiful, lush green lawn doesn’t happen by chance. It starts with selecting the right grass. Some types of lawn grass thrive in full sun, others prefer shade, and a few can handle a bit of both.

Your local climate matters too, as does how you use the space – whether it’s a high-traffic play zone, an occasional retreat or something in between.

We look at various turf types for different conditions to help you find the best lawn grass for you.

Climate control

Warm-season grasses like kikuyu, couch, buffalo and zoysia perform best in warmer regions – they love the heat and bounce back after dry spells. While they can grow in cooler climates, they often brown off in winter and may die back in extended cold periods, though they usually recover in spring.

In colder zones or areas with regular frosts, try cool-season grasses like tall fescue or perennial ryegrass, which stay green through winter. They might brown slightly in summer, but they’ll usually recover well with deep watering.

Sun v shade

All grasses need sunlight, but some cope better with shade than others.

If your lawn gets full sun all day, couch and kikuyu are both sun-loving and fast-growing. Buffalo varieties like Sir Walter or Palmetto also love full sun but stand out for their ability to handle shade, growing with as little as three to four hours of direct sunlight a day.

Zoysia is another good option for spots with filtered light or a mix of sun and shade. For areas with significant shade, tall fescue is one of the most shade-tolerant grasses, coping with as little as two to three hours of direct sunlight.

Fit for purpose

If your lawn sees a lot of activity – like kids or pets playing in the backyard – it’s worth choosing a ” self-repairing ” variety. Couch and kikuyu grow quickly and recover fast from wear and tear, making them great for high-traffic zones. Buffalo and zoysia also self-repair, though they’re a bit slower to recover.

Tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are solid options for lighter use, but they lack the ability to self-repair. Instead, they rely on you to overseed to fill in worn spots and keep the lawn looking full.

Maintenance matters

Some lawns need more attention than others, so choosing a turf that matches how much time, money and effort you’re willing to invest is key.

Couch and kikuyu are fast growers, so they also require frequent mowing (often weekly), especially during the warmer months. They can also spread into garden beds if not edged regularly.

On the other hand, zoysia grows slowly and stays neat for longer, so you can often get away with mowing every two to three weeks in peak season. Buffalo sits somewhere in between, with a moderate growth rate. Both are easy to manage and generally considered less maintenance than couch and kikuyu.

Tall fescue and perennial ryegrass grow faster than warm-season varieties like zoysia and buffalo, especially in cooler months, so they may need mowing every week during this time.

Tammy Huynh is a horticulturist, a presenter on Gardening Australia and the owner of Leaf an Impression.