HISTORY will look back on the referendum we have just endured as an exercise in deciding whether the grass really was greener on the other side of the fence, writes GRAHAM CARTER.

I don’t know what the grass is like in your garden (if you have one), but on the Carter side of the fence it is definitely going to get greener in the near future.

We have been thinking about the green, green grass of home a lot lately.

One of the strongest memories I have from my childhood is hearing Tom Jones singing about it.

Like most mums, mine liked Tom, but every time she played the record I was puzzled why the grass in Swindon was simply green, but in Wales it was green, green.

What I am getting around to saying is - and I am waffling because this feels like a bit of a confession - we have decided to buy some artificial grass to put in our back garden.

And it is definitely of the green, green variety as opposed to common-all-garden green, being a better colour and with less weeds than any lawn I’ve ever seen, aside from Wimbledon or Lord’s.

We are now ready to go ahead with ordering, but we have thought long and hard about it, on account of it just doesn’t seem right, somehow, to fake it.

Before you start tutting too much, I should add that we are not intending to replace our main lawn, which is quite large and which I will continue to mow for as long as I have the strength to push a mower, which should be a few years yet.

And we are not considering plastic grass out of idleness.

The bit of ground we are planning to put the fake stuff down on is actually right at the bottom of the garden.

And, until recently, it had a decaying shed on it and a compost heap that was taller than me.

The area is half-hidden behind a hedge and is so shady that no single blade of real grass could ever survive down there, but artificial grass would.

The original plan was to transform the space with some decking.

But, while we were at the garden centre, heading for the timber section, we noticed a display about artificial grass, and I had one of my brilliant ideas.

The choice is not between real and artificial, but rather whether we have an outdoor, green, green carpet, or whether we go for more conventional hard flooring.

And why have decking when you could have a soft option?

The more we thought about it, the more attractive the thought of a lush secret garden became, and the more practical it seemed.

It should also be said that while the poor quality of artificial grass a few years ago used to make it unthinkable, these days manufacturers have got it off to a fine art, even if you do have to pay extra to get the more realistic varieties.

It is going to look lovely.

So why are we feeling guilty about it?

Because even while we were checking the quality and feeling the width of the roll in the shop, we were heckled.

An older couple came past and, seeing us mulling it over, the husband said: “Don’t you have a lawn mower?”

He was joking, but it seemed to be the first confirmation of what we are fearing - that there is a degree of social unacceptability associated with turning your back on tradition.

But who cares, especially if you find your neighbours looking over the other side of their fence and looking green, green with envy?