General Purpose

A reliable, versatile lawn mixture for beautiful, hardwearing lawns that perform in almost any garden.

The ideal all-round lawn seed mixture for gardens that need a perfect balance of appearance, durability and fast establishment. General Purpose creates a strong, dense and great-looking lawn that stands up to daily use while maintaining an attractive, fine-textured finish. General Purpose's dwarf perennial ryegrasses deliver excellent wear tolerance, quick germination and a fresh, vibrant appearance, while creeping red fescue brings softness, density and strong root structure. Together, they produce a lawn that roots deeply, resists damage, and recovers quickly from family activity, pets and changing seasonal conditions.

General Purpose is designed to thrive across a wide range of soil types, climates and garden styles

  • Great All-Rounder
  • Attractive Appearance
  • Quick to Establish
  • Child, Pet & Wildlife Safe

Available in 210g, 425g, 1.275kg, 4.25kg, 10kg & 20kg

Mixture Breakdown

Grass Species Mixture Percentage
Amenity Tetraploid Perennial Ryegrass 20%
Amenity Perennial Ryegrass 40%
Strong Creeping Red Fescue 40%

 

All grass varieties used in Johnsons mixtures are premium amenity quality, chosen for their proven performance in UK lawns. While specific cultivars (individual named strains within a species) may occasionally vary depending on seed availability from season to season, we will only substitute cultivars with others that offer the same high level of performance.

 

Amenity Tetraploid Perennial Ryegrass

Tetraploid perennial ryegrass represents a significant advancement in amenity turf breeding, offering enhanced stress tolerance, rapid establishment, and exceptional resilience. Developed through selective breeding programmes such as those pioneered by DLF, tetraploid cultivars carry double the chromosome number of traditional diploid ryegrasses, resulting in a range of performance benefits ideally suited to modern lawn and landscape demands.

Tetraploid perennial ryegrasses are used selectively within Johnsons Lawn Seed mixtures to:

  • Improve durability and recovery rate

  • Enhance drought and wear tolerance

  • Support rapid establishment in new lawns and overseeding applications

  • Maintain consistent turf quality under variable conditions

These cultivars are fully amenity-grade and subject to rigorous quality assessment by the STRI.

Suitable for both new and existing lawns

Apply between March & October, when soil is warm above 10°C and grass is actively growing. For best results, apply straight after mowing and remove clippings to ensure excellent seed-to-soil contact. 

 

How much to use

Use a rate of 35g per m2 fo a new lawn and 20g per m2 for overseeding an existing lawn.

Handy guide: one average handful is approx 32g

 

How to sow

How to sow a new lawn

How to overseed an existing lawn

How to repair a patch

 

Lawn after care

  • Immediately after sowing: Water throughly to settle the seed into the soil
  • During the first 2 weeks: Keep the area consistently moist to support strong germination and avoid heavy traffic while grass establishes (this includes pets)
  • Weeks 1 to 2: Once the grass reaches around 5-8cm, you can mow for the first time. Keep the mower blades high for early cuts.
  • Weeks 3 to 4: Gradully return to your normal mowing height and routine as the grass strengthens.
  • Ongoing: Reapply or overseed worn areas seasonally, this is to maintain lawn thickeness. 

Latest news

Johnsons Lawn Seed debunks artificial grass autumnal myths
18/08/2023

Johnsons Lawn Seed debunks artificial grass autumnal myths

Autumn is the best time to prepare your real lawn for winter if you want significant results next year. Having endured the UK’s temperamental weather this summer, as well as heavier footfall over the school holidays now is the time to give it a boost. This may sound like hard work for artificial grass owners who mistakenly assume their plastic grass is maintenance-free but Johnsons Lawn Seed, the UK’s oldest and most-trusted lawn seed brand, is here to put these myths to bed and highlight why natural lawns are easier to care for in winter months.

Choose Real Grass for a Greener World
13/07/2023

Choose Real Grass for a Greener World

As more people prioritise the environment over fast fashion and throwaway plastics, the campaign to stamp out unsustainable fake grass is gathering pace. Championing this movement is the UK’s most historic supplier of lawn seed, Johnsons Lawn Seed, which has over 200 years’ experience making Britain a greener and more beautiful place.

Johnsons Lawn Seed improves site facilities with £3.5m investment
11/07/2023

Johnsons Lawn Seed improves site facilities with £3.5m investment

Johnsons Lawn Seed, the UK’s oldest lawn seed brand, has invested £3.5m in new equipment to meet retail demand and significantly improve efficiency for its overall product offering.