Can anyone recommend a lawn species for a shady spot?

Hi


I live in Brisbane, and have 2 big frangipani trees arching toward a wall. The grass species in the rest of the garden doesn't grow in this spot. I want to put in stepping stones with grass around them, as a little path. Does anyone know a species of grass that can thrive with a lot of shade and some falling leaves in autumn?


Cheers

Can anyone recommend a lawn species for a shady spot?
There is no true shade grass; all grasses like some sun. However, the best of the bunch that can get along with less sun than the rest is Poa trivialis. Kentucky 31 tall fescue, Zoysia, Japonica, Zoysia matrella, Astoria bent, Highland and Penncross bents, as well as creeping red, Illahee, and Chew-lugs fescue, all will tolerate light shade.
Reply:san augustine grass grows great in the shade, i am assuming they have that grass in australia
Reply:I'm in north Texas, not sure how the climate compares to Brisbane (USDA zone 7), and we use St. Augustine under our trees. It does rather well. It also does pretty well in sunny spots, too, and will crowd out other turfgrasses if given a chance.





What about a groundcover instead of a turf grass? Mondo grass, liriope, vinca, asian jasmine - we see a lot of those under our shade trees here, maybe there's something comparable that you can use there. Good luck!
Reply:Yes, there is a true shade grass, in North Texas, Fescue, grows great and at it's best in the shade. You have to re-seed every couple years, cause it does not re-seed it's self!
Reply:Most of the time it has nothing to do with shade...but the condition of soil in the area. Check the Ph...most of the time it is too acidic...so raise the Ph with some lime.





Also if you water the area more...this dilutes the acid and allows grass to grow in that shady area. The shady areas are always under the umbrella part of tree...so water sheds off to outer areas which doesn't allow water near center to help the soil.