Does artificial grass show an emotional disconnect with our gardens?

Chelsea Flower Show banned its use of artificial grass from 2022. We ask garden and wildlife pros what they think about plastic lawns 

A natural lawn acts as an Earth-friendly sink that absorbs CO2 and releases oxygen. File picture

Green perfection isn’t everything it seems.

Any trumpeted advantages of fake lawns have to be weighed against their negative environmental impacts. Bloom, our primary garden festival in Ireland, had heavily redacted the use of artificial grass by exhibitors.