You have worked hard to get your lawn looking great. The weeds have been pulled, the flower gardens have been edged and the shrubbery has been pruned. You can now sit on your porch sipping a cold drink and know that your lawn is the talk of the neighborhood. But, as anyone who has ever worked on their lawn can tell you, there is more to a great looking lawn than edging, pruning and pulling, it is also important that your lawn is watered often enough to keep it looking beautiful.

If you are new to the world of lawn maintenance, then it may seem that the lawn irrigation system is nothing more elaborate than a water hose and a sprinkler. However, while that may seem simplistic, take a walk through your local garden center or home improvement store and you will quickly find that lawn irrigation systems have come a long way since the hose and sprinkler.

Today's DIY lawn sprinkler systems can be divided in to five main types of lawn irrigation systems: stationary, spinning, rotary and impulse, the oscillating and the hybrid sprinkler system. Before choosing one for your lawn's irrigation needs, be sure you understand how each of them work.

The stationary lawn sprinkling system does not have moving parts other than an adjustable head, which may be ring- shaped with holes that are circles, triangles or squares at the top. These type of lawn sprinklers are typically the cheapest, but not necessarily the best as the stationary lawn irrigation system must be moved from place to place and easily clogs. Consequently, this type of sprinkler is impractical for a large yard, but ideal for spot watering.

A spinning lawn irrigation system, as it name implies, is one that rotates. They will have a range of 5 to 60 feet in diameter depending on the size of the sprinkler. Once again, these work best for a smaller yard. If you opt for this type of lawn sprinkler system, don't cut corners by purchasing a cheaper one with a plastic base; rather buy one that is more sturdy so that it won't tip easily.

Rotary and impulse sprinkler systems are ideal for larger lawns. They work with a water powered gear system that moves the water back and forth. They are perfect for watering large lawns, and can even be set to work for up to 4 hours at a time.

However, the bestselling lawn sprinkler system, more for its graceful arch than its efficiency, is the oscillating sprinkler. The oscillating sprinkler system has a tendency to pause at the ends of the sweeping cycle , thus wasting water.

The hybrid system works much like a professionally installed lawn irrigation system. It is connected to your water hose, has a sprinkler that emerges and sprays water in a circular pattern.

However, if you want a lawn irrigation system that is designed to meet all your lawns needs, you should bypass the home store and talk to a professional lawn irrigation system provider. They will be able to assess your lawn's needs and determine what type of lawn irrigation system will best meet all your needs. In fact, you may even find that having a professional lawn irrigation system actually saves you money in the long run as it can be set to run based on a timer or you can choose to run it based on the needs of your lawn and any restrictions that may be in effect due to rainfall.

So, as you plan out that garden and lawn, be sure to take some time to consider what type of lawn irrigation system will be best for your needs. After all, you don't want to do all that yard work and not be able to maintain it!