Armstrong Creek man Rory Olver last year competed for the title of Australia’s best lawn. Picture: Brad Fleet
Making the neighbourhood green with envy is par for the course for lawn addict Rory Olver.
The Armstrong Creek occupational therapist spends on average three hours a week in his quest to achieve the perfect grass.
His latest obsession is a pristine putting green cut into his 125sq m backyard.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to have a go at but it takes a bit longer because you’ve got to bring the height down slowly so it doesn’t scalp and discolour,” Mr Olver said.
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“I’ve got to get out and mow it every three days and keep adding different products to it but for me I love getting out there and looking after it.”
His lush results last year put the 30-year-old in the running for the National Gardening League’s best lawn, but he says you don’t need to go overboard on equipment to achieve a flawless finish.
As well as constant maintenance, he uses a $30 hack to keep his putting green in top shape.
Cultivating a putting green was all about the challenge for the non-golfer.
The readily available, pre-mixed Munns Professional Golf Course Green fertiliser is his go-to, especially in autumn, the make or break season for lawns.
Mr Olver said getting the levels perfect when his instant turf TifTuf lawn was installed at his new home five years ago planted the seed for success.
A cylinder mower helps him achieve an immaculate stripe on the front lawn, which people have been known to stop and admire.
He sows rye grass every year through winter and spring to keep it looking green and recommends another drastic measure for the ultimate result.
Mr Olver’s striped front lawn and his putting green.
“I do a lawn renovation every September/October. What that does is just removes all that dead material out of the lawn. I basically cut it back to almost dirt and that allows the new growth to come back and keeps it nice and green and lush,” Mr Olver said.
“It is something that you have to be careful of depending on the kind of lawn you have, but most of those grasses, apart from buffalo, you can go pretty hard on.”
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