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(StatePoint) — Choosing the right type of grass optimizes the chances that your lawn will be healthy, beautiful and easy to main- tain. However, experts say that there are many factors to consider. "You may have your heart set on a specif- ic type of grass because of where you grew up or because the Joneses down the street have a beautiful lawn and they grow XYZ grass. But what's best for your lawn depends on where you live now and your growing conditions," says landscape designer Doug Scott of Redeem Your Ground in Atlanta. A free video series from Exmark, a lead- ing manufacturer of lawn care equipment, can help you master your lawn. In a recent Exmark Original video, "Done In A Week- end, Grass 101," Scott discusses the various benefits, maintenance needs and other con- siderations of each grass type. Here he shares some top factors to keep in mind: ■ Climate: Grasses are typically divided into two temperature categories: warm-sea- son and cool-season. Warm-season grasses grow best in hot, southern climates reach- ing 80 to 95 degrees, and go dormant when temperatures consistently drop below 65 degrees. Species like zoysia, St. Augustine, Bahia and centipede all grow best in hot, humid regions, whereas Bermuda grass grows best in hot, arid areas. On the other side of things are cool-season grasses, which grow best in northern regions where temperatures fall between 60-70 degrees. Species include tall and fine fescue, Ken- tucky bluegrass and annual and perennial Ryegrass. Living in the middle, in what's known as the "Transitional Zone" can be both a bless- ing and a curse. On the positive side, you may have more grass choices, but on the downside, cool-season grasses may look worn-out by late summer, and warm-season grasses will be dormant longer. ■ Sun and Shade: While there are excep- tions, warm-season grasses generally grow best in full sun areas getting 8 or more hours of direct sunlight daily, and cool-sea- son grasses grow best in moderate or medi- um shade areas getting between 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. You may notice that no one talks about "full shade" — areas getting less than 4 hours of sun- light daily — when discussing grass. That's because there's no grass that thrives in these conditions ■ Water: Different types of grass need different amounts of water to thrive. Warm-season grasses tend to be more drought-tolerant and require less water. ■ Use: Heavy-turf grass like Zoysia or Bermuda stand up to activity best, whereas cool-season grasses typically don't do well in high-traffic areas where children play or dogs run. ■ Maintenance: What's required to maintain a healthy lawn also deserves con- sideration. In general, cool-season grasses cost less to install but more to maintain. Because they don't form that dense carpet- like structure that heat-loving grasses do, cool-season grasses need to be watered and tended more. For more tips, visit Exmark.com/Back- yard. Exmark's Backyard Life is a multi- media destination focused on helping homeowners make the most of their back- yard. While visiting the site, you can also access other Exmark Original Series, including "Done-In-A-Weekend Projects," "Prime Cuts" and "Dream Yards" videos. HOME JUNE 2021 6 Are you growing the right type of grass? While based in hot Atlanta, landscape designer Doug Scott notes the different grasses that thrive in different climates as well as for different levels of wear and tear. StatePoint 5 ideas for backyard fun (StatePoint) — Whether you're hosting a get together or just want to keep everyone in your household entertained, it's the best time of year to take the fun outdoors. Check out these five ideas for backyard fun for people of all ages: ■ Create a waterpark: Avoid traffic and crowds and cool down from the comfort of home using sprinklers and splash pads. A fun way to beat the heat, you can create your very own waterpark during the dog days of summer ■ Have a dance party: Portable instru- ments make it easy to practice and perform anywhere, including your backyard. A good choice for those starting a new musical adventure or anyone who wants to play music anywhere is a Casiotone keyboard. Stylish and sleek, it features a carrying handle for ease of transport and built-in speakers so you can pump up the jams for friends to enjoy. Whether you're performing a concerto or using the keyboard's Dance Music Mode to instantly create and remix EDM tracks in 50 different styles, you can just pop in six AA batteries, and you're good to go. ■ Make a bonfire: Get the friends togeth- er to tell scary stories, cook dinner over an open fire, make s'mores and have a sing- along. With many portable, smokeless fire pits on the market today, you don't need to wait until your next camping trip to have a bonfire. ■ Play jumbo-sized games: From chess and checkers to tumbling towers, outsized versions of your favorite classic board games are ideally played outside. ■ Relax with a lazy day: With a ham- mock alone, you can instantly create the perfect backyard oasis for a leisurely day of reading and napping. Today's hammocks are more versatile than their predecessors. Beyond those that tie to trees and mount to walls, self-standing models offer easy setup and portability so you can follow the shade — or sun — as desired. StatePoint Make your own dance party outdoors is one way to put more fun into summer.

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