Sir Walter Buffalo Grass
Sir Walter is Australia's best-known soft-leaf buffalo lawn - hard-wearing, shade and drought tolerant, and sold as DNA Certified turf, not seed. Here is what it is and how to plan a lawn of it.
By the Calculate My Reno Team / Published
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Sir Walter is the best-known lawn variety in Australia - a soft-leaf buffalo grass bred for local conditions and sold as DNA Certified turf. Botanically it is Stenotaphrum secundatum, the same species as American St. Augustine grass, which is why it shares that broad-bladed, shade-tolerant, carpet-like character.
It is turf, not seed
Like St. Augustine, Sir Walter is not sold as seed. It is propagated vegetatively and supplied only as DNA Certified turf through Lawn Solutions Australia, which guarantees you are getting the genuine variety rather than a look-alike buffalo. Anything advertised as “Sir Walter seed” is not the real thing. To plan a lawn, work in turf rolls by the square metre - the turf calculator gives the roll count and area.
Why it is popular
- Soft leaf. Unlike the scratchy old buffalo grasses, Sir Walter has a soft blade that is comfortable underfoot.
- Shade tolerant. It holds up in part shade better than most warm-season lawns, needing fewer hours of direct sun.
- Drought and frost tough. It tolerates heat, drought and frost, and stays green for much of the year in most of Australia.
- Hard-wearing. It takes family and pet traffic and recovers well.
How it is sold
Australian turf is sold by the square metre, supplied as rolls (or slabs) that each cover about 1 m². It is delivered fresh and should be laid the same day, so order it to arrive once the ground is prepared. Sir Walter carries a price premium over basic couch and kikuyu turf, reflecting the certification and the soft-leaf quality.
Care basics
- Mow higher in shade to keep the leaf area up; lower in full sun.
- Water deeply and infrequently once established to encourage deep roots.
- Feed in the growing season with a buffalo-suitable fertiliser; avoid some broadleaf weed killers that buffalo grasses dislike - check the label says it is safe for buffalo.
- Lay onto a prepared bed of levelled soil, topped up with topsoil where low.
Planning a Sir Walter lawn
The job is the same as any turf: a clean, level, weed-free bed, turf laid promptly and watered in. Use how much sod do I need for the method (it works in rolls and square metres too), and how much does sod cost to budget. For the American cousin of the same species, see St. Augustine grass.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy Sir Walter grass seed?
No - Sir Walter is sold only as DNA Certified turf (sod), not as seed. It is a soft-leaf buffalo grass propagated vegetatively, so genuine Sir Walter does not come in a seed packet, and anything sold as "Sir Walter seed" will not be the real, certified variety. To get a true Sir Walter lawn you buy and lay the turf, ordered by the square metre.
What is Sir Walter buffalo grass?
Sir Walter is an Australian-bred soft-leaf buffalo grass, botanically Stenotaphrum secundatum - the same species as St. Augustine grass. It was discovered on the east coast of Australia and is sold as DNA Certified turf through Lawn Solutions Australia, backed by a product warranty. It is popular for home lawns because it stays green much of the year and tolerates sun, shade, heat, frost and drought.
How much Sir Walter turf do I need?
Turf is sold by the square metre, so measure each part of the lawn, multiply length by width, add the areas together and add about 5-10% for cuts and curves. A standard buffalo turf roll covers about 1 m², so the roll count is close to your area in square metres plus the wastage margin. The turf calculator works it out and rounds up for you.