Surface for sports and other uses

A durable natural grass playing surface comprising:

• (a) a foundation;
• (b) artificial grass means for protecting crowns and roots of natural grass plants, located on the foundation, the top of the artificial grass means being located approximately coplaner with the surface of the ground, the artificial grass means including artificial grass fibers mounted in a porous bating material and extending generally vertically upwardly from the backing material, and a layer of growth medium disposed in the artificial grass fibers to a depth sufficient to substantially fill the artificial grass fibers to the top of the fibers so that, the tops of the grass fibers terminate approximately at the top of the layer of growth medium;
• and
• (c) natural grass plants having roots, crowns, and blades, the roots extending downwardly through the artificial grass means and into the foundation, the crowns being located below the top of the artificial grass means and the blades extending upwardly above the top of the artificial grass fibers and the top of the growth medium to fore a playing surface of natural grass blades.

A method of protecting the crown and roots of natural grass plants while maintaining a natural grass playing surface, the method comprising steps of:

• (a) placing an artificial grass turf having generally vertically upright fibers mounted in a porous backing on a foundation;
• (b) filling the artificial grass turf with a growth medium to a depth substantially adjacent to a top of the fibers so that the top of the fibers terminate approximately at the upper surface of the growth medium;
• and
• (c) sowing grass seed on the top of the filled artificial turf so that the roots of the resulting natural grass plants extend through the growth medium, artificial grass turf, and into the foundation, the crowns of the resulting natural grass plants being located below the top of the fibers, and the blades of the resulting natural grass plants extending upwardly from the tops of the fibers to produce a playing surface formed substantially of natural grass blades.

A pre-seeded panel for forming a durable natural grass playing surface, the pre-seeded panel comprising:

• (a) a layer of artificial turf having generally vertically upright fibers attached to a porous backing material;
• (b) a layer of growth medium dispersed throughout the fibers to a depth sufficient to fill the artificial turf to approximately the top of the fibers, the layer of growth medium being stabilized by a binding material;
• (c) a layer of grass seed strewn over the top of the layer of growth medium;
• and
• (d) a shallow layer of growth medium strewn over the top of the layer of grass seed to fill the artificial turf to at least the top of the fibers, the shallow layer of growth medium being stabilized by a binding agent.

A method for forming a durable, natural grass playing surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a panel of artificial turf having generally vertically upright fibers attached to a porous backing material;
• (b) placing a layer of growth medium throughout the fibers to a depth sufficient to fill the artificial turf to approximately a top of the fibers;
• (c) stabilizing the layer of growth medium with a binding material;
• (d) strewing a layer of grass seed over the top of the layer of growth medium;
• (e) dispersing a shallow layer of growth medium over the top of the layer of grass seed to fill the artificial turf to at least the top of the fibers;
• (f) stabilizing the shallow layer of growth medium with a binding agent;
• and
• (g) placing a plurality of panels formed in accordance with steps (a)-(f) adjacent one another on a foundation and watering the panels to produce a natural grass playing surface.