High efficient and beneficial utilization of municipal solid waste is an important objective for integrated waste management. We investigated the effects of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost on photosynthetic characteristics and protective enzymes of turfgrass. MSW compost was used as the medium and soil as the control, turf was established under different planting patterns. The results suggested that MSW compost significantly improved the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of the tested turfgrass. The first peak value of Pn appeared at 9:00 AM. Under mono-sowing, the photosynthetic rates of L. perenne and F. arundinacea in MSW compost medium were 12.7% and 11.4% higher than those of their controls, respectively. The photosynthetic rates increased by 33.0% and 29.6% in L. perenne/ P. pratensis mixture and F. arundinacea/P. pratensis mixture respectively. The diurnal average transpiration rate (Tr) of L. perenne/P. pratensis mixture and single L. perenne in MSW compost medium is lower than their controls; and the water use efficiency (WUE) of L. perenne/P. pratensis mixture and single L. perenne in MSW compost medium is higher than their controls. However, F. arundinacea in MSW compost medium had higher diurnal average Tr than that of the control and with similar WUE to the control. This indicated that, with MSW compost as medium, L. perenne exhibited water-saving strategies with high Pn and low Tr, whereas F. arundinacea was characterized by high Pn and high Tr. In addition, chlorophyll content in leaves of the turfgrass was remarkably higher in MSW compost medium than in soil medium, especially for single L. perenne and F. arundinacea with significantly higher chlorophyll contents than control (P<0.05). Moreover, POD, SOD and CAT activities in leaves of the turfgrass were significantly increased by MSW compost medium as compared with control (P<005 or P<0.01), and MSW compost improved the adaptation of the turfgrass to adverse environments.