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Hi @Revi,
For a nature strip in Melbourne, preparing the area well will give your lawn the best chance to establish. Adding a layer of topsoil isn’t strictly essential, but it can really help, especially if your existing soil is poor, compacted, or sandy. A 2–3 cm layer of quality topsoil will improve moisture retention and give the seeds a better medium to germinate in.
Couch and kikuyu are your main options. Couch grass is a good all-rounder for sunny areas, it’s hardy, establishes fairly quickly, and tolerates some drought once grown. Kikuyu is very vigorous, spreads fast, and is great for high-traffic areas, but it can become quite thick and may require more regular mowing.
Both prefer full sun, so if your nature strip is shaded, they may struggle. For establishing either, it’s still worth lightly preparing the soil, and adding a thin layer of topsoil can help the seeds take root more easily. Keep the area watered consistently until the grass is well established.
After sowing, lightly rake the seeds into the soil, keep the area consistently moist until the grass establishes, and avoid heavy foot traffic for the first few weeks.
Here's a helpful step-by-step guide: How to grow grass from lawn seed.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
