No Mow May, why so important?
and 'let it bloom in June' and 'knee high in July'!
No Mow May is a campaign by Plantlife, encouraging people to refrain from mowing their lawns in May to boost wildflower growth and support pollinators like bees and butterflies. It aims to help combat the decline of these insects by providing them with vital food sources and habitat, as well as contributing to overall biodiversity.
Approximately 97% of flower-rich meadows have been lost since the 1930s, and with them, vital food and habitat needed by wildlife (like hedgehogs).
But your garden can help! A healthy lawn with some longer grass and wildflowers helps to tackle pollution, benefits wildlife, supports pollinators for growing our crops, and can even lock away carbon below the ground and mitigate storm run off/prevent flooding.
There are more than 20 million gardens in the UK, so even the smallest grassy patches (or patio and balcony pots) can add up and deliver enormous gains for nature, people and the climate.
I think we are incredibly lucky to live where we do. But walking down some of our streets, it reminds me of Privet Drive from Harry Potter. Where every garden has been clipped and pruned, to look the same as everyone elses. And as I write this, the strimmers and lawnmowers are all firing up around me, so sad.
Is this to conform to what we think nature should look like? tamed and controlled?
It reinforces to me, that shocking statistic in the recent State of Nature Report 2024 'the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world as we are in the bottom 10% of nations for biodiversity'
Every month, as I walk my daughter to school, there's another apple tree taken out, another hedgerow removed. We are almost sleepwalking into this!
From a personal experience of No Mow May, for the last couple of years, when I eventually cut the piece of lawn I've left, in late August, the sheer amount of insects and invertebrates crawling around is a massive difference from the cut grass (which is virtually 'sterile' in comparison) - it was a real 'lightbulb' moment for me.
I like to call this little piece of action, 'nature restoration', but whatever you wish to call it, for me this is about rebalancing what little nature we do still have left here in the UK.
If you want to do your bit, please get in touch.
If you have a small piece of land, for wildflower or tree planting, then let us know.
Even Monty Don, who calls the riotous growth the trend creates “beautiful,” says he doesn’t pick the trimmer back up until late June.
“Nothing should be cut at all until after the longest day on June 21st,” he shares, stating that he sometimes puts the task off until August.
In the meantime, lets 'give power to the flowers' in 2025 and take part in the No Mow Movement! there are loads of inspiration and resources for the young and less young on the Plantlife website.
Challenge the gardeners amongst us! Lets 'bee' creative! share the 'wild' parts of your gardens, pots & balconies on social media and with adrian.balcombe@bostongreengroup.co.uk
I live in Boston Spa, my neighbour kindly cuts my front grass, however when it came to no mow May and I heard the lawnmower, I ran out and asked her to leave mine. I do believe I am probably getting on people’s nerves with my overgrown garden, I don’t care what they think, I care about what the bees and nature think
I love your piece of writing, I feel sad that people care more about a neat and tidy lawn than the planet.
Thank you very much for your feedback and commitment. We’re sure there will be hundreds of insects and probably many other wildlife that will greatly benefit from your actions. It’s going to be a slow process to change people’s perceptions from what they were taught was the right thing to do – we didn’t have lawns up until the end of the 17th century when they became status symbols.
If it’s possible to fit in with your garden design, leaving a natural random area would be a great source of habitat for overwintering wildlife.
It’s a shame the council aren’t on board with this. They came yesterday and blitzed all the lovely buttercups in our shared grass verge.
I have a shared front lawn too. My neighbour is more than happy for us to “no mow May”. I just go round the edge once with the mower and then the lawn edger to make it look intentional! I’ve stopped putting a sign in my window to let people know what we are doing. I don’t care if anyone doesn’t like the look, it’s my garden! The grass doesn’t grow much because there’s shallow soil. I do the same in my back garden (better soil and more dappled shade) and spend far less time out there worrying about weeds. More time to sit enjoying the birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, hoverflies, ladybirds, spiders etc.
I have been doing No Mow May for 3 years now. In mid June this year I was pondering what to do and walking round admiring the wildflowers. I was delighted to find a beautiful Pyramidal Orchid, 2 days later I had another look and found FIVE more, so exciting and I think my small lawn looks more colourful and interesting than ever 🥰