Aloeman

Of course! Respectful disagreement is a healthy thing. And I hope I didn't give the impression that I'm any kind of fan of fake turf - I'm certainly not!
Your pictures are gorgeous. That puya is a favorite of mine as well; I don't have it in the garden yet, but maybe someday!

I've been a supporter of Quail Gardens for a long time, and I feel I must come to their defense for using artificial turf in this one VERY small section of the garden. The turf is installed in the Walled Garden, a secluded and pretty spot that is extremely popular for weddings - a crucial source of income for Quail. This little garden hosts as many as five or six weddings per week, year-round, so it has to look good all the time. Putting in the turf was a purely business decision, made reluctantly, as an alternative to the expense and high maintenance of re-seeding or re-sodding the area four or five times a year. Paving the area really isn't an option, as that would make it far less attractive to wedding parties.

It's not an ideal solution, and of course there are environmental issues with the manufacture of artificial turf; but the decision was not made lightly, and the alternative was not very "green" either. I'm sure many other public gardens have had to make similar compromises for economic reasons.