Q What can I plant as a wildlife-friendly alternative to lawn?
Paul Gray, by email
A MATT SAYS In a sunny spot on free-draining soil, try carpeting plants like fragrant non-flowering chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile ‘Treneague’, and grey-green Acaena
novae-zelandiae, which turns bronze-purple in autumn. Thyme flowers are pollinator magnets, so add low-growing Thymus serpyllum ‘Russetings’. You could also plant succulents like sempervivums and
Sedum spurium ‘Green Mantle’ with starry yellow flowers.
If you have moister soil, try a mix of pink-flowered Geranium sanguineum ‘Vision Violet’, darker pink Phlox subulata ‘Purple Beauty’ and thrift (Armeria maritima) with pink or red pompoms. Leptinella potentillina has tiny ferny leaves that turn from green to pewter.