Hi Robert, can't vouch for the English. but for us Scots, especially those with an Irish heritage, masquerading as Scots, our lawn was annually turned into a spud farm. We kids were monumentally shamed by the exercise, the smell of manure difficult to forget.

The thing about planting natives is that within a very short space of time you will start to notice the changes, the bees, the butterflies, etc. They all need homes.

Gosh haven't we all so easily developed an attitude of entitlement. Can't have this because it might attract mice...with never a thought that thy actually need somewhere to hang their hats, though I've never actually seen any with hats!

As for growing avocados...I actually have a few seeds for planting right now, not for fruit, but just as a nice pot plant.But growing them in Tasmania? That beggars belief. :)