EVERY May, gardeners are asked to do something that goes against every gardening instinct they have, putting the mower away and leaving the lawn to get on with it. British Garden Centres is backing No Mow May this spring, the annual campaign run by conservation charity Plantlife. It asks gardeners to do something that goes against every instinct they have by putting the mower away and leaving the lawn to get on with it.
No Mow May, run by conservation charity Plantlife, has been growing steadily since it launched in 2019. The idea is to let grass and wildflowers grow uncut throughout May, giving bees, butterflies and other pollinators access to food at the point in the year when they need it most. Studies have found that unmown lawns can contain up to ten times more flowering plants than cut ones, making the difference between a useful habitat and a green desert.
The UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group is supporting the campaign through its Make it Bloom initiative, which encourages customers to garden in ways that support wildlife and the wider environment. Below is some practical guidance for those who want to take part but are not quite sure where to start.
Getting started
You don’t have to do all of it: Leaving a single strip or corner unmown counts. Pollinators are not looking for a nature reserve; even a patch of clover and a few dandelions will do. If the idea of an entirely unmown lawn feels like a step too far, start small and see how it goes.
The weeds are the point: Dandelions and clover are the plants most gardeners spend the year trying to remove, but are exactly what No Mow May is about. They are among the best sources of nectar available to bees in early spring. Leaving them alone for a month is one of the most useful things a gardener can do.
Wildflower plugs can help if your lawn is mostly grass: A perfectly manicured lawn may have few flowering plants left in it. Introducing native wildflowers like oxeye daisy, birdsfoot trefoil and red clover are all good choices and can make a real difference.
Edging is worth leaving: The strip of grass along a fence or wall is often the last thing people mow and the first thing they forget about. These thin margins are useful to wildlife because they are sheltered and undisturbed. Hedgehogs, ground beetles and solitary bees all use them, so leave this even if it does look unkempt, as it is a haven for wildlife.
A mown path makes it look intentional: If you are worried about what the neighbours might think, keeping a path cut through the longer grass signals that the lawn has not simply been abandoned. It also gives children and dogs somewhere to run without flattening everything, whilst letting nature take its course on other parts of your lawn.
Cut gradually when June comes: Going straight back to a short cut in June can stress the lawn and disturb anything living in it. Drop the mower height gradually over a couple of cuts rather than taking it all off at once.
What comes after May
For gardeners who want to carry on beyond the end of the month, the options are straightforward: a small wildlife pond, a log pile tucked into a corner, or a border planted with late-flowering perennials can all extend the benefits well into autumn.
Lucy Hewitt, Marketing Campaigns Manager at British Garden Centres, said: “Time and again, customers come to us wanting to do something good for wildlife but not knowing where to start. That’s exactly why we created Make it Bloom. No Mow May fits that perfectly, as it costs nothing, takes no effort, and within a couple of weeks you’ll see things visiting your garden you’ve never noticed before.”
For more information on Make it Bloom, please visit https://www.britishgardencentres.com/make-it-bloom/
