Ryegrass free
Traditional Lawn Grass Seed
A pure fescue lawn: fine, dense and formal. Slow growing, so you mow it less, and it takes a cut down to 8mm.
£45.00
£50.00
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Give it 14–21 daysPure fescue, no ryegrass. Slower than ordinary lawn seed on purpose.
Fine and formalThe fescues used on links golf greens and bowling greens.
Slow growingLess mowing through the season, and it goes down to 8mm.
Need the exact amount?Use the calculator before you buy.
Germination tested seed. Follow the sowing guide for best results.
Next working day where availableOrder by noon, Mon–Fri; check checkout
Returns within 14 daysUnopened seed; see delivery & returns
Seed adviceSee the sowing guide below
60% slender creeping red fescue · 40% strong creeping red fescue · Backed by Barenbrug
What makes this different
The grass on a links green
Two fescues and nothing else. These are the grasses greenkeepers put on links golf greens, bowling greens and golf fairways, which is why this mix can be mown to 8mm and why it will not take a football match.
Backed by Barenbrug
One of the world’s biggest grass-seed companies, developing lawn and sport varieties since 1904. The varieties in this bag are selected for the use described on this page.
Amenity grass, not field seed
Lawn-and-sport varieties selected for appearance and wear tolerance.
Ryegrass free, on purpose
Fescue leaves are needle-fine and pack close together, which is what makes a lawn read as a smooth green surface rather than a collection of blades. No ryegrass means no coarse leaf and no relentless growth.
The detail
Specifications & characteristics
Specifications
Sowing rate25–35 g/m²
Germination14–21 days (soil at 10°C)
Mowing heightDown to 8 mm
Mixture60% slender creeping red fescue · 40% strong creeping red fescue
Bag sizes1.5 / 5 / 10 / 20 kg
Best sownApril–early October
Characteristics
Fineness of leaf★★★★★
Density★★★★★
Drought tolerance★★★★★
Shade tolerance★★★★★
Speed of establishment★★★★★
Wear tolerance★★★★★
Timing is the whole game
Fescue reads the soil, not the forecast
Soil, not air
Fescue needs the ground at 10°C, held day and night.
A warm week in March feels like spring, but the soil underneath is still cold and the seed will simply wait. In the UK the window is April to early October.
September is the best month of all: the soil is still warm from summer and the autumn rain does the watering for you.
Moisture, not soaking
Keep the top 10 to 15mm damp until it is up.
Not flooded, damp. In hot weather on light soil that can mean watering three times a day. Water in the evening so less is lost to evaporation, and watch the wind: a steady breeze dries soil faster than the sun.
Seed left sitting on the surface will not grow. Rake it into the top 10 to 15mm and firm it down.
Will it work in my garden?
Will it suit your garden?
This one is worth reading before you buy. Ryegrass free means fine and formal, and it also means it will not take heavy use.
Formal & ornamental
Built for it
Large landscaped areas
Slow growing
Close mowing to 8mm
Suitable for close mowing with care
Dry or light soil
Both fescues cope
Occasional light use
It will not recover from regular wear
Kids, dogs, football
Choose Hard Wearing
Deep shade
Choose Shaded Areas
Plan the lawn
Get the right amount before you sow
Enter your lawn size or check this is the right mix before you sow.
Product details
How it grows, what it suits and what to expect
The practical detail behind the mix, from germination timing to reviews and specifications.
What’s really in the bag
Two fescues, and nothing else
What you give up, and what you get for it.
The science100% fescue · ryegrass free
A finish ryegrass cannot give you
Fescue leaves are needle-fine and pack close together. That is what makes a lawn read as a smooth green surface rather than a collection of blades, and it is why the mower can go down to 8mm. This ryegrass-free blend puts the fine finish first.
The science40% strong creeping red fescue · rhizomes
It quietly repairs itself
Strong creeping red fescue sends runners out under the surface, so thin spots knit closed on their own instead of turning into bare patches you have to reseed. It is the same habit that makes it the standard grass on golf fairways.
The scienceSlow growth habit
Fewer Sundays behind a mower
Fescue grows more slowly than ryegrass right through the season. Over a large lawn that is a real saving in time, fuel and clippings, which is why this mix is the one to choose for landscaping and open spaces as well as a formal front lawn.
When you’ll see green
Two weeks of bare soil is what success looks like
There is no ryegrass in this bag, so nothing appears early. This is the single most useful thing to know before you sow it.
Day 0
Sow, rake into the top 10–15mm, firm and water
Days 7–13
Nothing visible. Normal, not a fault
Days 14–21
Green haze across the whole area
Weeks 6–8
First light mow, tips only
Customer reviews
What real gardeners say
Let’s clear this one up
“The cheap seed came up faster. This must be poor quality.”
The worry
“I sowed a bag from the shop and had grass in two weeks. Three weeks in, this has barely moved. Something is wrong with it.”
This is the single most common thing people tell us about this mix, and what you are seeing is real. It genuinely is slower than the seed you bought in a shop.
The honest answer
Nothing is wrong with it. You are comparing two different grasses.
Cheap general lawn seed is mostly perennial ryegrass, which germinates in 7 to 14 days. This bag is 100% fescue, which takes 14 to 21. The speed you paid extra to avoid is the same speed that gives ryegrass its coarse leaf and its relentless growth.
Our own species guide: perennial ryegrass 7 to 14 days, both red fescues 14 to 21.
Fescue needs the soil at 10°C, held day and night. In spring the ground lags weeks behind the forecast.
No surprises
What to expect, and who it’s not for
We would rather you bought the right lawn than the wrong one, even if that means buying a cheaper bag from us.
What to expect
- Nothing visible for the first two weeks. That is normal.
- A green haze across the whole area at 14 to 21 days.
- A fine, dense, formal lawn that grows slowly and cuts to 8mm.
Good to know
- It is slower than any ryegrass mix. If you need grass fast, this is the wrong bag.
- Ryegrass free also means not wear tolerant. For kids, dogs or regular use, choose Hard Wearing or Ultimate Lawn Seed.
- Sow between April and early October. September is the best month of all.
Questions, answered
Before you buy
How long does it take to come up?
14 to 21 days, and longer if the soil is cool. There is no ryegrass in this mix, so nothing appears early. Two weeks of bare soil is what success looks like at this stage.
Why is it slower than the seed I bought from a shop?
Shop seed is usually mostly perennial ryegrass, which germinates in 7 to 14 days. Pure fescue takes 14 to 21. It is the trade you make for a fine, formal lawn that grows slowly and mows short.
When should I sow it?
April to early October, when the soil sits at around 10°C day and night. September is usually the best month, because the soil is still warm and the rain returns.
I have watered it every day and nothing has happened. What now?
Check the calendar first. If it has been under two weeks, it is on schedule. Then check the soil temperature rather than the air temperature. And check the seed is actually in contact with soil, because seed left sitting on the surface will not grow. If you are past three weeks and inside the sowing window, email us at contact@grassseedonline.co.uk and we will help.
Is it suitable for a family lawn?
Honestly, no. Fescue is not wear tolerant and this mix has no ryegrass in it to carry the traffic. For kids and dogs choose Hard Wearing, or Ultimate Lawn Seed if you want a finer finish that still takes use.
How short can I cut it?
Down to 8mm, lower than anything else in our lawn range. Not on the first cut, though. Wait until it is about 75mm tall and take the tips off only.
How much seed do I need?
Pop in your lawn size and we’ll do the maths.
Not sure this is the one?
Answer a few quick questions about your garden and we’ll point you to the perfect mix.
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