For most Brisbane lawns, a soft leaf buffalo, either Sir Walter or Sapphire, is the best turf to lay. Brisbane backyards are rarely uniform: one side gets blasted by afternoon sun, another sits under a mango tree, and there's usually a dog, a trampoline or a shed in the mix. The best turf is the one that copes with the most of that at once.
Why soft leaf buffalo?
Sir Walter Buffalo is widely considered the benchmark for shade-tolerant turf in Australia. It performs well in both sun and shade, and needs as little as 2-3 hours of direct sunlight a day. It recovers quickly from wear and holds its colour through the harshest seasons. Sir Walter is perfect for Brisbane, Gold Coast and surrounding areas, and as pet-friendly, non-prickly, and a good fit for lawns with trees and sheds.
Sapphire Buffalo is presented as the world's only finer-textured buffalo, with shade tolerance up to 70% and a deep green colour with a tinge of blue. Rated for its excellent shade tolerance, its wear tolerance as high and its maintenance as medium to low. It's dense and low-thatch, recovers quickly from wear, and holds strong winter colour as long as it's fertilised the month or two before cooler weather.
Both can be laid year-round, though spring and early autumn are ideal for faster establishment and stronger root growth.
How the alternatives compare
Variety Shade Maintenance Wear Best for
Sir Walter Buffalo Very high Medium High All-rounder, shady yards, families
Sapphire Buffalo Excellent Medium-low High Shady yards and a finer, softer look
Empire Zoysia Moderate Low High Low-mow lawns and coastal areas
Augusta Zoysia High Very low High Premium, golf-course-style lawns
Nara Native Zoysia Moderate Low High Full sun and dry conditions
IronCutter Bermuda Low High The best Sunny, high-traffic areas
Wintergreen Couch Low High Very high Basic full-sun lawns
When to choose something else
• Full sun, heavy traffic: IronCutter is rated as having the best wear tolerance, with minimal thatching and aesthetic appeal for high-traffic areas. Wintergreen Couch is the basic full-sun couch option with fine leaf blades. Both have low shade tolerance.
• You want the least mowing: Empire Zoysia is nicknamed "EZ Grass" by ALC for its slow vertical growth, and it's drought tolerant and salt-air tolerant. It also copes with clay and sandy soils. It recovers from damage more slowly than couch, which matters if you have energetic dogs.
• Premium finish: Augusta Zoysia is a golf course turf now available for home lawns, with high shade tolerance and very low maintenance.
• Full sun and dry conditions: Nara Native Zoysia is Australian native, highly drought tolerant, evergreen through winter and summer, slow growing and low maintenance.