Phil Gregory has spent decades perfecting the lawn he first revived as a teenager – a patch of grass he once transformed from “dead” to the greenest in his neighbourhood. At 16, he even engineered his own watering system to maintain it during severe water restrictions in Western Australia.
Now aged 52, the father of three has been recognised nationally, winning the Yates National Gardening League award for the best lawn in Australia. The achievement follows years of meticulous work and rewards him with a whopping $10,000 cash prize.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time, I’ve upped my game in the last seven years or so,” he told Yahoo Lifestyle, explaining that he invested in a $2,000 cylinder mower so he could “cut lower and get a nicer cut” on the grass.
The Perth resident devotes two to three hours each week to maintaining his lawn – a routine that includes mowing “every day or two” and using a ruler and height bar to ensure the grass is kept at the right height.
“I’ve entered competitions before and I’ve always wanted to be the one that came out on top, so to actually win and be named the best in Australia, this is great,” he said.
“I can actually say, ‘Hey, I’ve got the best lawn in Australia’.”
Gregory’s lawn is so picturesque that his neighbours have told him it “looks fake” and have mistaken it for a rug.
“I love it if people can’t tell that my living grass is real, it’s like, wow!” he said.
He says his “secret weapon” for maintaining Australia’s best lawn is surprisingly accessible – a product available at most Bunnings stores.
He told Yahoo Lifestyle that soil health is fundamental to getting the best results.
“Happy soil, happy lawn,” he said, explaining that his preferred choice is the Yates 700ml Click And Grow Dynamic Lifter Lawn Food And Soil Improver, priced at $19.98 at Bunnings.
“That’s a good one to use, because you’re actually getting nutrients into your soil, plus feeding the lawn at the same time.”
“The way I use product is, I’ll look at the lawn and go, ‘Oh, it’s a little bit dry today,’ or ‘Might need a little bit of a feed’, so I’ve always got to have products on hand.
“I sort of let the lawn tell me what it needs.”
Gregory also revealed the big mistake many Aussies make when it comes to lawn care: watering too much.
“You don’t need lots of water,” he said.
“You get your soil right, and you just don’t need lots of water.
“That’s probably the biggest thing in lawning – people go, you’ve got a green lawn, you must have a huge water bill.
“No, I don’t, over here in WA we have water restrictions, so we’re only allowed to water our lawn twice a week, and I managed to keep my lawn that green, doing that with the same restrictions everyone else has.”
“I measure my water so I get the right amount, and I drive past people’s places, and I’m watching their sprinklers just on all the time, and I think, ‘Why are you doing this?’
“You don’t need to, that actually makes the lawn worse, because it can’t handle any heat.”
Following his $10,000 win, he revealed he intends to take his first overseas holiday. As for what becomes of his meticulously maintained lawn during that time, he said the trip would need to be scheduled in winter, “when it doesn’t grow so much”.
He also offered advice for others hoping to secure the title of Australia’s best lawn.
“You’ve got to spend some time, it’s not a chore, you’ve got to love doing what you’re doing,” he said.
Images: Yahoo Lifestyle
