Does anyone know anything about gardening?

Not sure how relevant that US perspective is to the UK but I think it all depends on what sort of use you want from your garden? I've just ripped out loads of bushes and trees from my garden and laid turf but my reasons for doing so were that although the looked ok and was probably a good habitat for bugs they made 60% of my garden unusable and also blocked a lot of light. I like a lawn for walking, laying on and when I have kids I'd use it for playing. I think having an ornamental lawn thats as perfect as Wimbledon centre court is a bit bonkers but with the weather we have in this country it's pretty easy to keep a lawn without it being an environmental catastrophe.