Q: I live in France and I like St Augustine grass but I don’t know whether Raleigh or Mercedes is more cold hardy.

A: Paris is chilly in winter but I think St Augustinegrass would fare there just fine. ‘Raleigh’ and ‘Mercedes’ are the most cold-hardy cultivars of this grass but there is not much difference between them. Grass expert Tim Boyer says French lawn lovers grow bluegrass and fescue blends in the north, zoysia and cool season grasses in the central area and bermuda, zoysia and St Augustine grasses in the warmer French south.