ABSTRACT
The ideal approach is for tapestry lawns (T-lawns) to be started as a blank canvas, using an area that has been cleared of any previous botanical occupants and preferably with a seed tray depth layer of the fertile topsoil removed too. Since traditional lawn grasses like to have well-fertilised soil, it might seem a bit odd to remove what is often considered the best bit of soil in a garden to lay a new lawn. A compacted soil underneath laid plant tiles can restrict plant development considerably and should be amended prior to laying the lawn. Peat-based substrates can be subject to drying surprisingly quickly, and newly laid lawns will need watering until they are established. Private lawnscape managers keen to have their own T-lawns are not always able to produce plant tiles or obtain large numbers of suitable plants for chequerboard or cluster planting.
