So how does one go about getting the perfect striped lawn? Having the right equipment helps, and in this case you would need a Rear Roller Lawnmower. These mowers are available in two main types: Cylinder and Rotary. Rotary mowers are in general simpler to use and maintain, and can be used on ground that is sometimes not so even. Cylinder mowers need a perfectly flat surface to run on and are therefore used for bowling green type display lawns where a scissor-cut finish is required.

How it works
1. As the roller mower runs over the lawn, the roller pushes the grass down in one direction and then in the opposite direction. This creates the stripes. A heavier lawnmower will create more defined stripes.

2. Cylinder mowers in particular accentuate the striping because of the way the cylinder blade cuts the grass in one direction only.

3. The basic way to cut a rectangular lawn is illustrated here. Firstly cut around the perimeter of your lawn to provide a turning area then cut in straight lines either up and down your lawn or side to side with each cut slightly overlapping the previous one.

4. Don't just stop at stripes! Other patterns can also look effective - diagonal stripes or a chequer board effect cutting in one direction and then at right angles. Many football fields now have spectacular effects using roller mowers.