Moss lawn instead of grass lawn

Itoohaveagarden_21

Hello! Looking to start my new build garden and instead of a grass lawn I would like a moss lawn!
hoping other people in the UK have also made the switch as I have a few questions!

I know it’s encouraged to have step stones for high traffic areas but is a mossy lawn not for sitting on at all? 

I’m planning on using local Scottish moss (I know I can’t legally steal from the wild) but does anyone know how the moss would look aesthetically in the winter? After long rains or snow?

if anyone has got a moss lawn is there any tips or things to avoid you would recommend to a newbie?
thank you!

Fairygirl

" does anyone know how the moss would look aesthetically in the winter? After long rains or snow? "

It'll look mossy 
Mine is mostly moss in winter. I just use a weed and feed every couple of years, although I sometimes don't even do that now, and once the weather dries up a bit and grass starts growing, the grass gets the upper hand.
However, moss does prefer dampness, so in hot spells it won't look good. West Lothian is drier than this side of the country too [my sister lives there]  so you might find it looks a bit rough in summer. You can certainly sit on it, and it'll recover in wet weather if it's a bit flattened.   

Itoohaveagarden_21

Okay so I might just need to put the hose on it over long sunny periods? 

Thanks so much @Fairygirl!

Fairygirl

If you can have a fairly heavy clay soil layer underneath, that would probably help, but it might be trial and error! 
New builds often have pretty rubbish soil anyway, so it might not be too difficult 

I should have said - moss works best in shade, so if it's a very sunny, open site, it may not work. 

Itoohaveagarden_21

Yeah that’s what I thought! Rather than fight bad soil I can use it!
and I’m north facing so only sun at the end of the garden!

Skandi

Half my lawn is pure moss, it gets no direct sun, as you move across the lawn and get more and more sun it changes to pure grass, if you have a nice shady lawn then moss should be fine. Ours gets a bit deep/long? in mid summer so you leave footprints whenever you walk across it.

In winter it looks better than the grass, it's smooth and green.

Itoohaveagarden_21

Sounds lovely! Thanks @Skandi that’s helped soothe my concerns!

Fairygirl

It'll be grand @Itoohaveagarden_21 
Good luck with it.