In article ,
Vir Campestris wrote:

On 22/02/2017 17:30, Another John wrote:
But I would like to treat it this Spring to
encourage the grass, and discourage (preferably kill, eradicate, destroy
utterly) the buttercups.

Just buttercups?

I quite like the primroses and cowslips in ours (yes, both) and I
_really_ like the orchids.

[Thanks to all for the advice received -- very useful.]

Yes, O Man of the Plains: just the buttercups -- it's all that we get.

Last year I left a large corner of the grass to grow, and it developed
into a nice little buttercup meadow, with other species flourishing too
(it adjoins a genuine field). However, the owner decided he didn't like
it: wanted it cut neat and short. Shame, but he's the boss. As a
result, buttercups are the only things that get a grip -- and grip they
do, the buggers.

J.