Sharing know-how about UK gardening

Fine lawns are the pride and joy of the traditional British gardener, who spends time, money and effort on creating the perfect bowling-green effect at home.

The fine-leaved and short-growing grasses (similar to those found on golf and bowling greens) need a lot more than a good mower to keep them in tip-top condition, but frequent mowing with the cutting blades set close to the ground is an essential ingredient.

The only machine for such a fine finish is a specialist cylinder mower with a larger number of blades than ordinary machines (perhaps 10 or 12 or more instead of the four or five) on a small diameter cylinder. This gives a high number of cuts as the mower moves forward. In addition to this precise cutting, the mower must be able to cut down to at least 6.5mm (1/4 inch), so your lawn has to be as flat as your hat.

For example, the Atco Club, designed for the exacting needs of a golf or bowling green, can be set as low as 1.8mm and achieves 133 cuts per metre. A less expensive option for immaculate lawns is the 6-bladed Atco Balmoral.