A guide to Lawn Grass Development for temperate - DoFPS

1. Background
A guide to Lawn Grass Development in Bhutan
“An Experience in cool temperate environment”
The grasses we use today for lawns have been around for centuries evolved in the
meadows and forest glades grazed by large animals. The densely formed grasses that
survived in these ecosystems are those that had low growing points and grazers did not
eat them. A lawn is made up of thousands of individual grass plants or in mixtures of
more than one grass species. Like any other plants, specific conditions must be met for
proper growth to occur to lawn grasses. When each plant is completely healthy, a lawn
has the look of a “rolled-out carpet”.
Photo 1 & 2: Newly established lawn in front of Outlet centre, RDC, Yusipang.
The first experience with the lawn grass development in Bhutan was in the early 80s
when Royal Golf course in Thimphu was developed. Although the lawn grass
development in general is a recent phenomenon, it is gaining popularity amongst the
urban dwellers especially in the growing towns such as Thimphu, Paro, Phuntsholing etc.
2. Benefits
Lawns serve different purposes. A lawn is pleasant scenery for a home landscape that ties
together the surrounding flower gardens, ornamental trees, and shrubs. Also a lawn is
used as an outdoor living room during warm weather. Other advantages of lawn are that
turf grasses controls dust and reduce pollen in the air from plants that can cause allergy
problems to some individuals. Turf grasses absorb gaseous pollutants such as carbon
dioxide converting them to oxygen (Imperial lawns, USA). Lawns also benefit home
landscapes in many environmental ways as well. When it is hot, a lawn reduces glare
from the sun and keeps the surrounding area cooler. When it is windy, the blades of grass
trap particles of dust and when it is rainy; a lawn stabilizes soil and prevents erosion
problems.
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