It was a glorious day along the Indian River Lagoon. The sun was shining, the water inviting and a stroll though the green market left my pockets lighter but we were going home with a few tasty treats - a little fresh conch salad and a couple of last-of-the-season homegrown heirloom tomatoes. With visions of BLTs for supper on my mind, a stop on a shady bench to cool off and enjoy the view before heading to the hot car was not just a good thing but surely seemed to be required.

Let me say, I think turfgrass is a good thing in the right place. It slows erosion, cools the area and prevents tracking so much sand into the house. It is also a great place to send the kids and the dogs, I admit to sounding like my mother with a quick "Go outside and play!" But as I sat watching people, boats and water, I noticed something was amiss with the turf in the lovely shady spot by the water.

A minute's contemplation over the weedy state of this patch of grass reminded me of one the hard and fast rules for growing warm-season grasses (mostly true for cool-season types too) - grass needs sun. Even when experts list a grass species or variety as "shade tolerant," most need at least 6 to 8 hours of sun to form thick, weed-busting turf.

So as enjoyable and necessary as my spot of shade was, it also was causing the turf to thin. Sure the grass is a good choice to stabilize the ground near the sea wall, but a bit of groundcover or a bed of mulch in the deepest part of the shade might be a good idea.