Many wineries now invite guests for more than tastings, including special events such as weddings and musical performances. And why not? It’s hard to imagine a more gorgeous setting for any type of outdoor event. Stunning vistas of local landscape and lovingly ordered vineyards. Hosting events at your winery expands revenue opportunities and introduces more people to your beautiful wines.
But whether the events are sponsored by you or someone pays to use your space, serving as a venue comes with costs. Chief among them is the fact that a large grassy lawn is a must-have. Lawn adds both functionality and ambiance. It beckons guests to sit at tables set out on the grass, bring their own chair, or plop right down on the grass itself, depending on the type of activity.
Maintaining a natural lawn is a huge expense
Live grass is needy. Someone has to mow, edge, fertilize, apply chemicals to fend off pests, weeds, and disease, and keep all the equipment in good condition. Labor and supplies are both costly, and your crew could be doing something more remunerative than maintaining the lawn.
Mess
Despite your best efforts, the grass will develop problems. When it rains, the grass is slippery and muddy, rendering it useless for events. Even if the sun comes out, it will be hours before the grass is dry enough to walk or sit on without soaking shoes and clothing. If folks do walk on the wet grass, they will track clippings and debris across your patio and into your tasting room.
Damage
Events themselves can wreck your grass. Too much foot traffic, heavy set-ups that sit on the lawn all day, etc. can flatten or grind down the blades, causing unsightly bare spots. It can take days or even weeks for the grass to recover. Meanwhile, your venue is out of commission.
Natural grass stains clothing. No bride is going to be smiling when the hem of her vastly expensive dress turns green. Nor will her guests – or guests at any of your events. They come to enjoy, not get dirty. And, for women anyway, natural grass poses another irritating problem – high heels sink right in. That makes walking almost impossible, and it can ruin expensive footwear.
Water
By far worst of all, though, is water. Watering lawns is the #1 cause of water waste at home, and it gets exponentially worse when you consider the size of the lawn needed for your outdoor venue. Thousands of gallons. Thousands of dollars. With wineries scrambling to control and potentially production-related reduce water usage, it makes no sense to waste precious H2O on grass.
Water your vineyard, not your event lawn
With artificial grass, you get all the benefits of the real thing, without the headaches or expense:
- No water to keep it growing. Faux grass does appreciate the occasional rinse with a hose, to remove dust, etc.
- A rinse is all you’ll need for clean-up, too. With fake grass, it’s quick and easy to pick up any post-event debris then simply rinse away spills, etc. If the blades become flattened, just re-fluff them with a broom.
- The grass dries fast, so even after a rain shower you’ll be back on the lawn in no time.
- It is one tough customer. The backing that ensures moisture drains right through also prevents punctures. Your beloved winery dog won’t be able to dig holes, and guests heels won’t sink. No matter the weather, your turf will continue to look as lush as it feels for many years.
- Artificial grass even helps improve your property’s fire-resistance, because it cannot flame up. (It can melt, however, so it’s a good idea to keep event barbeques on the patio in case you drop a piping-hot coal or piece of food.)
Artificial grass saves time, saves money, and eliminates headaches. And it does it all with unwavering good looks. You can focus on watering your vineyard, not the lawn.
