Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns UK July 2024

Whether your lawn is in partial or full shade, if you want a grass seed mix to have the best results, you need to buy one that’s suitable for use on shaded lawns.

We’ve researched and compared all the grass seeds for shaded areas that had the best reviews online, and shared our favourites based on speed, quality, and reliability of grass growth.

Grass Seed (1kg Covers up to 60 sqm) Fast Growing Grass Seed for Quick Lawn Patch Repair and New Lawns. 1kg Hard Wearing Grass Seed Suitable for Shade and UK Climate.

5/5

 5/5

Brand: Grow Pure
Price: £
Size: 1 kilogram
Treatment Area: 60 m²
Grass Type(s): Turf perennial ryegrass & strong creeping red fescue
Results in: 7 days

Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed - 5KG

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Brand: GardenersDream
Price: £
Size: 5 kilograms
Treatment Area: 230 m²
Grass Type(s): Strong creeping red fescue and chewing fescue
Results in: 5-10 days

Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed 420 g - 14 m2

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Brand: Miracle-Gro
Price: ££
Size: 420 grams
Treatment Area: 14 m²
Grass Type(s): Hard fescue, brown-top bent
Results in: 7 days

A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed, 5kg (140m2) - UK Fresh, Pet & Child Friendly - Ideal for Dry & Wet Soils, Patch Repair, Over Seeding, New Lawns & Thickening. DEFRA Approved

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Brand: A1 Lawn
Price: ££
Size: 5 kilograms
Treatment Area: 140 m²
Grass Type(s): Dwarf perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue, ryegrass
Results in: 7-21 days

Lawnmax, Grass Seeds, Rapid Growth Economy Mix for Hard Wearing, Shady Lawn, New Lawn, Lawn Repair (1KG)

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Brand: EFA International
Price: £
Size: 1 kilogram
Treatment Area: Not specified
Grass Type(s): Dwarf amenity ryegrass and creeping red fescue
Results in: 7-10 days

MOOWY Shade & Sun | Premium Grass Seeds for Shady Areas for 50m² | Ideal as Grass Seed Patch Repair, Lawn Thickener, Winter Seeds, Lawn Seed & Lawn Treatment Spring for use with Lawn Mower

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Brand: MOOWY
Price: ££
Size: 890 grams
Treatment Area: 50 m²
Grass Type(s): Red fescue, ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass
Results in: Not specified

Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns In The UK: July 2024

Best Overall: Grow Pure Grass Seed
Best Easy-Grow: Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed
Best For Patch Repair: Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed
Best For New Lawns: A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed
Best Budget: Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix
Best Premium: MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium Grass Seeds

📊 Comparison Chart of Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns

Scroll right on mobile to see the whole table chart

Product	Price	Size	Treatment Area	Grass Types	Results Time
Grow Pure Grass Seed	£	1 kilogram	60 m²	Turf perennial ryegrass & strong creeping red fescue	7 days
GardenersDream Shady Lawn	£	5 kilograms	230 m²	Strong creeping red fescue and chewing fescue	5-10 days
Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady	££	420 grams	14 m²	Hard fescue, brown-top bent	7 days
A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant	££	5 kilograms	140 m²	Dwarf perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue, ryegrass	7-21 days
Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix	£	1 kilogram	Not specified	Dwarf amenity ryegrass and creeping red fescue	7-10 days
MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium	££	890 grams	50 m²	Red fescue, ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass	Not specified

Product	Price	Size	Treatment Area	Grass Types	Results Time
Grow Pure Grass Seed	£	1 kilogram	60 m²	Turf perennial ryegrass & strong creeping red fescue	7 days
GardenersDream Shady Lawn	£	5 kilograms	230 m²	Strong creeping red fescue and chewing fescue	5-10 days
Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady	££	420 grams	14 m²	Hard fescue, brown-top bent	7 days
A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant	££	5 kilograms	140 m²	Dwarf perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue, ryegrass	7-21 days
Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix	£	1 kilogram	Not specified	Dwarf amenity ryegrass and creeping red fescue	7-10 days
MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium	££	890 grams	50 m²	Red fescue, ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass	Not specified

⭐ Reviews – Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns of 2024

Grow Pure Grass Seed

5/5

 5/5

Grass Seed (1kg Covers up to 60 sqm) Fast Growing Grass Seed for Quick Lawn Patch Repair and New Lawns. 1kg Hard Wearing Grass Seed Suitable for Shade and UK Climate.

In our opinion, the Grow Pure Grass Seed is the best quality and best value grass seed currently available for shady lawns.

This hard-wearing grass seed combines turf perennial ryegrass & strong creeping red fescue, both of which thrive in shaded gardens and don’t need much sunlight to grow thickly and with minimal assistance. It’s versatile, having proven effective when used for seeding bare patches and new lawns, and it’s great value, too, costing just over £11 for a 1-kilogram bag.

Quick Specs:

Brand: Grow Pure
Price: £
Size: 1 kilogram
Treatment Area: 60 m²
Grass Type(s): Turf perennial ryegrass & strong creeping red fescue
Results in: 7 days

Best For:

Anyone looking for the very best shade seed that grows thickly with a dark, rich green colour, even with minimal access to sunlight.

What Customers Think:

The Grow Pure Grass Seed is one of the most popular shade seed mixes on Amazon, with 4.2 stars out of 5 from more than 5,800 reviews (at the time of writing). We specifically looked for reviews by customers who had used this seed on shaded lawns, and feedback was largely positive. One customer said that the seed offered “quick growth in a shaded area” and showed signs of grass growth within as little as 5 days. Another customer said they used the seed in a “very shaded spot” behind a fence in their south facing garden, and reported that the bare patches were almost covered after 6 days.

Pros:

The Grow Pure Grass Seed is highly reviewed, and for good reason. It combines perennial ryegrass & strong creeping red fescue, which offer excellent shade tolerance and are the perfect blend for lawns that don’t see a lot of sunlight. These grass species are also tolerant to the range of climates we experience in the UK, including dry summers and frosty winters.
The customer before-and-after photos speak for themselves. This grass seed does a great job of filling out patchy areas – and you should notice obvious signs of growth within as little as 3-7 days.
It’s good to see that the Grow Pure Grass Seed is DEFRA-approved, so you know you’re spending your money wisely on a third-party certified product. If you’re not 100% satisfied with the product, Grow Pure also offers to “make it right” – presumably with a refund or replacement product.

Cons:

Some people said that the grass seed was slow to grow, so you might have to wait longer than 7 days for new growth depending on your lawn conditions.

Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed - 5KG

If you’re looking for an easy-grow grass seed that’s reliable and grows well even in difficult areas of a shaded lawn, we think you can’t go wrong with the Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed.

This lawn seed is available in 1-25-kilogram bags and promises a pristine lawn, using a mix of 70% strong creeping red fescue (our top recommended grass species for shaded lawns) and 30% chewings fescue for thicker green grass within days. Expect to see signs of grass growth 5-10 days after seeding.

Quick Specs:

Brand: GardenersDream
Price: £
Size: 5 kilograms
Treatment Area: 230 m²
Grass Type(s): Strong creeping red fescue and chewing fescue
Results in: 5-10 days

Best For:

Anyone who wants a grass seed for shaded ornamental gardens that’s easy to spread and grows reliably without much maintenance effort.

What Customers Think:

The Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed has a 4.3-star rating from more than 1,300 customer reviews. Customers called this grass seed “really reliable” and “great grass at a great price”. One customer said that the grass had taken well in a semi-shaded area that they had given up on. Another said that the seed grew well in a garden that was almost fully under the shade of a large tree.

Pros:

The Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed combines grass types that are easy to grow and good for shaded lawns. Creeping red fescue and chewings fescue are both known for their fine texture and shade tolerance, and are generally considered to be reliable and low-maintenance grasses – so less effort on your part after seeding.
You should notice new grass shoots appearing within as little as 5-10 days when soil conditions are warm and moist.
The seed has been certified by DEFRA, FERA, and SASA for quality and safety.

Cons:

The two grass types used in this seed mix won’t tolerate a lot of foot traffic. We don’t recommend this product for families with children or pets, or lawns that get a lot of wear and tear.
The grass is quite fine, so look for a blend of thicker grasses if you’re seeding a new lawn.

Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn See

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed 420 g - 14 m2

The Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed is our top recommended lawn seed for shaded gardens that need patch repair.

This lawn seed blends a mixture of fescues, including hard fescues and brown top bent, which have evolved to thrive in woodland and perform well in areas of low sunlight. It’s sold in 420-gram boxes, with a coverage area of around 14 m², so it’s ideal for thickening out bald or sparse patches on a shaded lawn.

Quick Specs:

Brand: Miracle-Gro
Price: ££
Size: 420 grams
Treatment Area: 14 m²
Grass Type(s): Hard fescue, brown-top bent
Results in: 7 days

Best For:

Anyone with a shaded lawn that needs a small amount of patch repair, who prefers to buy a smaller box of quality seed that they can use up in one go.

What Customers Think:

The Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed has a 4-star rating from more than 1,000 Amazon reviews. Customers said the seed mix is “good quality” and produced “good strong grass” on a shaded lawn, but numerous customers reiterated the need for patience with this product, with some reporting waiting up to 5-6 weeks to see good growth.

Pros:

We think the smaller 420-gram box of Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed is just the ticket for patch repair on an existing lawn in shade.
Hard fecues and brown top bent, the two key players in this seed mix, are fine-textured grasses that are well-known for their shade tolerance. They grow reliably in dense, low-maintenance tufts – just have patience, as they may take a few weeks to grow in less favourable conditions.
Miracle-Gro has the allure of being a well-known brand that’s popular due to its products’ wide availability, ease of use, and consistent results. Plus, the EverGreen Shady Lawn Seed has that all-important DEFRA certification for buyer reassurance.

Cons:

This grass seed is on the pricier side. One 420-gram box costs about the same as a 1-kilogram bag from other manufacturers. You seem to pay for the brand name.
You won’t get results as quickly as promised by Miracle-Gro, especially if your lawn receives little to no sunlight. Have patience, and prepare to wait up to 5-6 weeks for good results.

A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed

4.5/5

 4.5/5

A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed, 5kg (140m2) - UK Fresh, Pet & Child Friendly - Ideal for Dry & Wet Soils, Patch Repair, Over Seeding, New Lawns & Thickening. DEFRA Approved

For seeding a new lawn in shade, we think the A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed can’t be beaten.

This lawn seed is sold in bag sizes starting at 5 kilograms (which covers a 140 m² area – just short of the average UK lawn size), and combines dwarf perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue, and ryegrass. While ryegrass can tolerate moderate shade, it’s the red fescue that makes this seed mix a great choice for shaded lawns.

Quick Specs:

Brand: A1 Lawn
Price: ££
Size: 5 kilograms
Treatment Area: 140 m²
Grass Type(s): Dwarf perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue, ryegrass
Results in: 7-21 days

Best For:

Anyone who wants the best-value lawn seed mix for seeding a larger area or establishing a new lawn in partial shade.

What Customers Think:

More than 600 customers have awarded the A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed 4.3 stars out of 5. Customers called the seed mix “excellent-quality seeds” and “perfect grass seed”, and several customers shared before-and-after pictures that speak for themselves – including customers who had established new lawns from scratch.

Pros:

We think the A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed is ideal for anyone who’s looking for a durable shade seed mix that grows thickly and spreads well enough to be used to establish a new lawn. If you follow the instructions on the package, you should notice a significant difference in your lawn appearance in 7-21 days.
Perennial ryegrass in particular is known for its rapid establishment and grows in clumps and tufts, and, once established, has a relatively fast growth rate. Creeping red fescue is our number-one recommended grass species for shaded areas.
It’s good to see that A1 Lawn has ticked all the boxes and obtained a DEFRA, FERA, and SASA certification for this product.

Cons:

We don’t recommend this seed mix for lawns in full shade because two of its grass types – dwarf perennial ryegrass and ryegrass – are only mildly tolerant to shade and won’t cope well without some sunlight.

Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix

4.5/5

 4.5/5

Lawnmax, Grass Seeds, Rapid Growth Economy Mix for Hard Wearing, Shady Lawn, New Lawn, Lawn Repair (1KG)

We did a lot of research when looking for the best budget grass seed for shaded areas. It was important for us to find the most affordable seed mix that could still be relied on to produce great results – and the Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix fits this description.

A 1-kilogram bag of this wallet-friendly grass seed costs just under £10 (at the time of reviewing), making it around 10-20% cheaper than comparably-sized seed mixes. It contains a blend of shade-loving creeping red fescue and dwarf amenity ryegrass, which is quick to establish and grows densely when properly maintained.

Quick Specs:

Brand: EFA International
Price: £
Size: 1 kilogram
Treatment Area: Not specified
Grass Type(s): Dwarf amenity ryegrass and creeping red fescue
Results in: 7-10 days

Best For:

Anyone with a smaller budget who wants to spend less than £10 on a shaded lawn seed mix without compromising on quality.

What Customers Think:

The Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix is relatively new to the market, with a 4.2-star rating from 140 customer reviews. Customers called the product an “excellent seed mix” and agreed that it “does the job” and “grew pretty fast”. There weren’t any reviews mentioning using the seed on a shaded garden – we’ll update this section when these become available.

Pros:

The obvious benefit of the Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix is its price. For less than £10, you get 1 kilogram of grass seed – more than enough to overseed a small-to-medium lawn.
Creeping red fescue and dwarf amenity ryegrass both grow nicely in shaded areas. They make an efficient pairing and both have fine textures, creating a visually appealing turf with a uniform and dense growth pattern.
EFA International (the seller) is licensed by APHA, and the Lawnmax seed mix is certified and DEFRA Approved, so you can buy from this lesser-known brand with confidence.

Cons:

This seed mix contains only 30% of red fescue and 70% of dwarf amenity ryegrass, which is less shade-tolerant, so we’re not sure about the success potential of the seeds if used on a lawn in complete shade.
EFA International is better known for its pest-control products and isn’t a huge name in the lawn care market (yet!).

MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium Grass Seeds

4.5/5

 4.5/5

MOOWY Shade & Sun | Premium Grass Seeds for Shady Areas for 50m² | Ideal as Grass Seed Patch Repair, Lawn Thickener, Winter Seeds, Lawn Seed & Lawn Treatment Spring for use with Lawn Mower

Anyone who prefers to spend a bit more upfront on a premium lawn seed mix for shaded gardens should love the MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium Grass Seed.

One 890-gram bag costs around £15 (about 30% more expensive than similar products), but you pay for the privilege of high-quality seed types – which were apparently produced by the same company that provided grass to most football stadiums for the 2018 World Cup. So, if you want to bring your shaded lawn up to football pitch quality, this is as close as you’re going to get!

Quick Specs:

Brand: MOOWY
Price: ££
Size: 890 grams
Treatment Area: 50 m²
Grass Type(s): Red fescue, ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass
Results in: Not specified

Best For:

People looking for the best premium shade seed that uses a high-quality blend of grass species to produce a lush green lawn.

What Customers Think:

The MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium Grass Seed has an average 4.1-star rating out of more than 1,500 customer reviews. One customer said their grass grew within 3 weeks when seeding a very shaded lawn. Someone else said that the seed mix was “perfect” for reseeding an urban lawn heavily shaded by buildings and trees. A number of customers complained about having to wait several weeks before the grass started growing.

Pros:

Quality is the biggest selling point of the MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium Grass Seed. This seed mix combines 50% red fescue, 40% ryegrass, and 10% Kentucky bluegrass, and each species brings its unique characteristics to the mix. Red fescue is the best grass seed for growing in shade, while Kentucky bluegrass is also shade-tolerant and produces dense, thick growth. Ryegrass is a great hard-wearing companion grass and has good traffic tolerance.
The seeds have an Aquasaver Seed Coating, a patented protective coating that’s designed to help them retain water and micronutrients for faster and better growth.
As you’d expect from a high-quality grass seed, this MOOWY seed mix is DEFRA approved and certified. The manufacturer also offers a 100% guarantee, so if you’re not pleased with the seeds for any reason, they’ll refund you in full or send you a free replacement.

Cons:

Results are pretty slow in shaded conditions. We read several reviews from customers who initially gave a low rating, then updated their review weeks later to say that their grass finally grew. Expect to wait 3-4 weeks to see early growth after seeding.

👀 4 Things To Look For In The Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns

There are specific features that make certain types of grass seed better suited for shaded lawns. We’ve discussed the 4 features to look out for below.

☁️ Shade-Tolerant Grass Species

Some grass species are better suited to shade than others. Make sure to choose a grass seed that will thrive in your shaded garden.

The best grass seed for shaded lawns should consist of one or several grass species that are tolerant to shaded conditions. This essentially means that they’re better adapted to low-light conditions and will still grow well if they receive little to no direct sunlight.

We recommend the following grass species, which are all shade-tolerant:

Red fescue – Can perform well in low-light environments and has a relatively shallow root system, which allows it to access nutrients and moisture efficiently in areas with less direct sunlight.
Browntop Bent – Prefers full sun and performs best in open, sunny areas, but can still tolerate partial shade well.
Perennial Ryegrass – Can tolerate moderate shade, which means it can grow on a lawn with reduced sunlight. Ideally, it still needs at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive. Other ryegrass species, including various kinds of dwarf amenity ryegrass and dwarf perennial ryegrass, are also shade-tolerant.
Kentucky Bluegrass – Can also tolerate moderate shade, so is best used in gardens that receive filtered sunlight for 4-6 hours per day.

Our advice is to choose a grass seed that contains more than one shade-tolerant species. That way, if one species doesn’t take to your lawn conditions for whatever reason, you have another species that should still thrive.

But if you opt for a single-species lawn seed, go for red fescue. It’s the only commonly-used cool season grass in the UK that can grow in areas of partial or complete shade, so it won’t suffer from a lack of direct sunlight on your lawn.

👊 Hard-Wearing

It’s especially important for grass seed for a shaded garden to be hard-wearing because it doesn’t only have to cope with the variety of climates and weather conditions that we get in the UK – it also needs to be capable of growing with minimal access to sunlight.

You probably want your lawn to be usable as well as looking nice, and that means investing in a hard-wearing lawn seed that won’t die in the winter or sustain irreversible damage from foot traffic.

Perennial ryegrass and other ryegrass types are often included in lawn seed mixes because they’re some of the most hard-wearing shade-tolerant grass types available.

🟩 Good Coverage

Good coverage is another desirable feature in grass seed for a shaded garden.

You want your new grass to grow thickly and spread evenly, regardless of the sunlight it receives. Look for shade mixtures that use grass seed species that are known for providing good coverage and a thick finish, including creeping red fescue, perennial ryegrass, and browntop bent.

A good way to learn about the coverage capabilities of a grass seed product is to look at customer before-and-after photos. Take note of how much seed the customer used on the area (if specified). This will help you to understand the coverage you can expect from using the seed on your own lawn, and how much you’ll need to obtain the desired results.

📝 DEFRA Approved

A DEFRA approval is something you should look for when buying any grass seed product for your lawn.

Manufacturers need to apply to get their grass seed tested and certified by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) if they want to sell and market it in the UK.

The manufacturer will likely boast about a DEFRA approval in the product description if they’ve obtained one. On the off chance that they haven’t, contact customer service and ask to see proof of a DEFRA certification or approval. This means that a third party has professionally analyzed and tested the product and deemed it safe to use in the UK.

The GOV website is a good resource if you want to learn more about DEFRA certifications find out what licenses are needed to sell seeds in the UK.

🧾 8 Things To Consider When Buying Grass Seed For A Shaded Lawn

As well as the best features of lawn seed for shady areas, it’s also worth considering the following things when you’re choosing between different seed mixes.

💰 Your Budget

Start by determining how much you can afford to spend on grass seed for shaded gardens.

There’s no need to spend a fortune on lawn seed. Regardless of whether you opt for budget or premium shade grass seed, it’ll do pretty much the same thing on your lawn. Premium seed may simply contain a more varied blend of grass species, or certain grass species that are costlier to obtain in the UK.

The average price of a 1-kilogram bag of shade-tolerant grass seed is £9.50-£14.00. If a lawn seed of this size is more expensive than this, you might not be getting the best value for money.

🟢🟩 The Seeding Area

Also consider the seeding area, as this plays a part in value for money.

The bigger the bag, the better the value for money (i.e. the lower cost per gram of seed). With that said, you don’t need a huge bag if you’re just doing patch repair.

Consider the size of the area that you plan to seed when choosing a seed bag size. Most brands sell their grass seed in a number of bag sizes, from 1 kilogram right up to 25 kilograms.

It’s cheaper to buy a bigger bag upfront than to buy multiple smaller bags, so take some time to read up on how much grass seed you’ll need for your project before you spend your money.

Got a big project? Most brands will sell their products in maximum 5-10-kilogram bags. So, let’s say you order 25 kilograms of seed. You’ll save money per gram, but you’ll receive the seed in bags that are a manageable size, and you won’t have a ginormous half-full open bag to attract rats if you end up using less grass than expected. Contact the manufacturer to check bag sizing if it’s important to you.

⛅️ Partial/Full Shade

Does your lawn have partial or light shade, or is it entirely in shade throughout the day? Most lawns will get at least some sunlight, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll need to choose a suitable grass seed thoughtfully.

If your lawn is only in partial shade, you’ll do fine with a sun and shade grass seed mix. But if your garden is in complete shade, you need to look for a grass seed mixture that’s specifically intended for shady areas.

Remember, red fescue is one of the only grass types that can thrive with no access to direct sunlight, so find a seed mix that contains this variety if you have a garden that’s in full shade.

🌱 Growth Rate

Also consider the rate of growth that you’re looking for.

Most grass seed mixes for a shaded garden grow within 1-3 weeks. Keep in mind that even the best quality grass seed might take longer to grow in a shaded garden due to reduced or no access to sunlight. From our experience, growth begins after 7 days, but there isn’t a noticeable difference until at least 14 days have passed after seeding.

In our research, we read quite a few reviews from customers who initially gave the grass seed a poor review because it didn’t grow within a week, then updated the review to say that the grass did eventually grow. Take a manufacturer’s bold claims of “a new lawn in just 7 days!” with a pinch of salt.

🔬 Soil Type

Your soil type may affect the type of grass that’s best for your lawn.

In the UK, the most common lawn soils are clay soil, organic soil, and sandy soil. Most grass varieties can grow in these soil types, but you might find that some seed types are better for your situation than others.

For example, creeping red fescue thrives in heavy clay soil, while perennial ryegrass is a better choice if you have well-drained sandy soil. The part of the UK you live in (and usually your proximity to the coast) will affect your soil type.

🐶 Pets & Foot Traffic

Do you have pets or children, or is there another reason why your lawn might receive high foot traffic at certain times of the year?

In this case, it’s important to think about the types of grass seed that are best not only for a shady garden, but are also robust, thick, and likely to bounce back after a period of heavy foot traffic.

If your lawn gets lots of use, the best grass seed variety for you should ideally contain browntop bent and Kentucky bluegrass. Both of these seed species are hardy and shouldn’t sustain long-lasting damage from foot traffic.

You don’t have to worry so much about this if you have a lawn that’s primarily ornamental. You’ll be able to use any grass type that’s tolerant to shade, like red fescue, without the fear of damage over the busier summer months.

☀️ Planting Season

You might think that the time of the year is largely unimportant when planting grass seed in shady areas, since it won’t get much (if any) access to sunlight anyway.

However, you still need to stick to the general rules for sowing grass seed if you want to enjoy the best outcome from your efforts. That means sowing seed in early spring (mid-March to April) or autumn (September to mid-October), when the risk of frost is low and conditions are most favourable for seed germination.

The grass seed you choose should have instructions from the manufacturer on when to sow the seed. Follow these instructions to get the most growth – and therefore the best value for money – from the product.

🛠 Prep & Maintenance

If you want the best chance of establishing a lush green lawn from your grass seed use, there’s some prep and maintenance work that you’ll need to get right. This involves pretty much the same processes regardless of whether you have a shaded garden or a lawn in full sun.

Before sowing the seed, prep your lawn by loosening the soil, removing any existing vegetation, and taking steps to create a favourable seedbed (i.e. using fertilisers to feed the soil with nutrients, or sand to improve your soil’s drainage).

Once you’ve seeded your lawn, you’ll usually need to commit to the following maintenance tasks:

Water the seeded area once a day. You want to get the ground moist but avoid puddling, which could cause the seeds to rot.
Pull out any weeds that you notice during the first few weeks of grass growth. You don’t want weeds to take over during this fundamental stage, since the weeds, being hardier, will likely outcompete the grass for nutrients, causing it to die.

A passive maintenance task is to simply avoid walking on the seeded area for at least 3-4 weeks after seeding. You don’t want to press together the soil particles because this will make it more difficult for the grass to grow.

Important note: this review was last updated in July 2024. We apologise if pricing or availability has since changed for any of the products mentioned above.

Table of Contents

Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns In The UK: July 2024

📊 Comparison Chart of Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns

⭐ Reviews – Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns of 2024

Grow Pure Grass Seed

Gardeners Shady Lawn Grass Seed

Miracle-Gro EverGreen Shady Lawn See

A1 Lawn AM Pro 9 Shade & Drought Tolerant Grass Seed

Lawnmax Rapid Growth Economy Mix

MOOWY Shade & Sun Premium Grass Seeds

👀 4 Things To Look For In The Best Grass Seed For Shaded Lawns

☁️ Shade-Tolerant Grass Species

👊 Hard-Wearing

🟩 Good Coverage

📝 DEFRA Approved

🧾 8 Things To Consider When Buying Grass Seed For A Shaded Lawn

💰 Your Budget

🟢🟩 The Seeding Area

⛅️ Partial/Full Shade

🌱 Growth Rate

🔬 Soil Type

🐶 Pets & Foot Traffic

☀️ Planting Season

🛠 Prep & Maintenance