Grass cut, the moss, daisies and dandelions can then be dealt a splash of weed-killer.

But lawn expert Will Holdsworth says it is not that simple.

"Keeping a lawn looking good is hard work because it can take years to get rid of the same weeds," he said.

The expert from High Legh Garden Centre said lawns needed all-year-round care - not just in the summer.

Neglect them and they quickly become a patchwork quilt of greens, browns and yellows.

Mr Holdsworth said some home owners - fed up with trying to manage the lawn - were now opting to rip it out and replace it with rockery, gravel or a water feature.

But lawns do not just set the scene for a beautiful garden. Many are used for competitive sport.

Bowling club groundsmen have the difficult task of keeping the green looking good all season.

Play is affected by the length of the grass - too long and the wood doesn't roll.

"I cut the grass every other day during the season but it should be trimmed more than that," said Alan Wilson, groundsman at Knutsford Conservative Club.

The problem for most groundsmen is not weeds on the lawn but funds in the bank.

Players pay a membership fee to their club but most of the money goes to the league.

"We don't have enough revenue to keep the green looking perfect but it's good enough to play on," said Mr Wilson.

However he believes the secret to a good game is not the green - it's the skill of the player.

"Every green is different and players have to be able to adapt," he said.

The fast green at Knutsford Private Bowling Club needs more skill than a slower one.

Four greens are to be cultivated in Britain for the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

But bowler Fred McDowell, of Gaskell Avenue, Knutsford, doubts that British players will have an advantage over foreigners.

"Our players won't get chance to practise on the greens before the games, so they won't know all their little faults," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.