THERE are people who think lawns are an anathema, particularly those whose main love is for our wonderful Aussie plants.

And yet look at our Australian National Botanic Gardens, where so many love to sit on the lawns enjoying the summer concerts. These lawns blend perfectly with the bush surroundings.

Lawns close to the house serve many useful purposes; for example, rather than paving with all its reflected heat, lawns have a real cooling effect.

As a side issue, the use of artificial turf generates about the same heat as paving.

In the Canberra fires of 2003, several of my clients have said that lawns, rather than large numbers of shrubs close to the home, saved their homes. When I am designing gardens in country areas two vital points are taken into consideration. Firstly, easy access for fire trucks around the whole house if the need arises and, secondly, keeping all shrubbery at least 10 metres away from the building, preferably with lawn areas between house and garden beds.

LAST week, in discussing the problem of those overnight lawn destroyers, the scarab grub, I said it was essential to spray at the right time. If you are away at that time your hard work re-establishing a lawn is lost.

The alternative is to use a commercial lawn-maintenance firm such as Coochie Hydrogreen. I have known the owners since they were teenagers and, certainly, there is no more reliable firm.

If your lawn is healthy, it uses less water to keep green. As readers know, I am an advocate for organic gardening and Coochie Hydrogreen uses a liquid, organic soil conditioner that is pre-dissolved. When applied to the lawn, it is absorbed directly into the grass, unlike chemical fertilisers that require large amounts of water to dissolve the granules.

Applied at the right time, this combines to combat scarab grubs, weeds and other lawn diseases.

It is worth checking out Coochie Hydrogreen for its regular six-visit, lawn-care program; more details at 1800 245955.

IF you have not already mulched, or refreshed previous mulching from last season, this is one of the most important tasks in the garden, especially as a particularly hot summer is predicted.

One important point if you have installed drip irrigation. Over a period, the drip lines may be buried in old mulch or even soil in places. Drip irrigation is always laid on top of the soil and under the mulch.

Therefore, if the drip lines are buried it is important to lift them on top of the soil before applying new mulch. The recommended depth of mulch is 75mm.

More information on the most effective mulch, visit www.cedricbryant.com and refer to the Cedfacts Information Sheet “Mulch your garden to conserve moisture”.

[box]In the cool of the day

Prune Banksian and weeping roses hard after flowering.

Check fruit trees for any dead, diseased or damaged branches. These can damage ripening fruit.

Keep feeding strawberries and cut off any runners which if left will reduce fruit.

Trim hedges like Buxus/box plants when a few cool days are forecast. Never in the heat of the day or it will result burnt leaf edges.

Update your garden knowledge with the latest edition of the “Canberra Gardener” available from most bookshops and newsagents.[/box]