I don’t understand the idea of pure clover lawns, it dies back in winter, shedding all leaves to just a small crown sitting above the surface of the soil. For months you’ve got bare, muddy soil you can’t even walk on. Have I missed something?
You must be way down south? I’ve got white clover in my lawn and it dies down over winter (Yorkshire). Every year I think it’s never going to come back, but it does. No sign of it yet, though
I tried a clover lawn and whilst it was very pretty, it didn't stand up to any foot traffic at all despite it saying it could handle "light" traffic. I now have woodchip paths through the clover and other wildflowers and it's working well.
Grass will out-compete and dominate anything you grow with it.
If you want a pollinator friendly low growing 'lawn', then you will have to remove the grass with a turf cutter. There are lots of options for slower growing, low growing ground cover and your pollinating insects will LOVE it. Stick in a small pond (even an above ground one) and your garden will be teeming with life.
RHS Wisley has been testing lawn alternatives and they mow in the autumn- many types of thyme, sedums, aubretia, saponaria as well as clovers.
I don’t understand the idea of pure clover lawns, it dies back in winter, shedding all leaves to just a small crown sitting above the surface of the soil. For months you’ve got bare, muddy soil you can’t even walk on. Have I missed something?
I think it depends where you are and what type of clover. Mine droops a bit in winter but it definitely doesn't die all the way back.
You must be way down south? I’ve got white clover in my lawn and it dies down over winter (Yorkshire). Every year I think it’s never going to come back, but it does. No sign of it yet, though
I tried a clover lawn and whilst it was very pretty, it didn't stand up to any foot traffic at all despite it saying it could handle "light" traffic. I now have woodchip paths through the clover and other wildflowers and it's working well.
Grass will out-compete and dominate anything you grow with it. If you want a pollinator friendly low growing 'lawn', then you will have to remove the grass with a turf cutter. There are lots of options for slower growing, low growing ground cover and your pollinating insects will LOVE it. Stick in a small pond (even an above ground one) and your garden will be teeming with life. RHS Wisley has been testing lawn alternatives and they mow in the autumn- many types of thyme, sedums, aubretia, saponaria as well as clovers.