Fake grass can look well when used sparingly, i have a few square metres in the front (woven green and yellow to look more natural) where we put down tarmac with some in a half moon down one side, planting grass there felt daft as there wasn't going to be much growth and from a maintenance point of view, easy. Due to running onto the road, there wouldn't be much life in there anyway.
Out the back I have a decent sized garden lined by two hedgerows around 15ft tall, 6 castlewellen golds, a Berry landed Bush (no idea what type) and a huge eucalyptus tree between which are home to all kinds of life.
We have sparrows, Crows, Ravens, magpies (each is distinguishable and kids have named each of them), Pigeons, Blackbirds, Robins, Bluetits and a couple of small unidentified varieties, the occasional sparrow hawk and seagulls. There is at least one hedgehog down there too living in a pile of last years twigs cut from hedge. What we took away at the front we have added if not more to the rear. I also made a couple of bird houses with food trays. The trays get used daily, not so sure about the houses though.