{"id":36348,"date":"2024-04-30T17:56:35","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T15:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/6e961f2d-bab6-4b1c-9f24-13575041a428"},"modified":"2024-04-30T18:39:34","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T16:39:34","slug":"no-mow-may-2024-why-its-time-to-let-the-weeds-grow","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/no-mow-may-2024-why-its-time-to-let-the-weeds-grow\/","title":{"rendered":"No Mow May 2024: Why it’s time to let the weeds grow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to help the wildlife in your garden? All you have to do this month is\u2026 nothing. Welcome to No Mow May 2024 <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 30 April 2024 at 15:56 PM<\/p>

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No Mow May is back this year, bringing another boost of much-needed nectar<\/a> to pollinators<\/a> across gardens, parklands and verges as gardeners throughout the UK pledge not to mow their lawns for the month.<\/strong><\/p>

The movement was started in 2019 by conservation charity Plantlife, who is once again urging people to keep the mower locked up for another month to allow spring plants<\/a> a chance to set seed before the first cutting, making for healthier, more diverse lawns. <\/p>

Additionally, this gives wild plants to get a foothold in May, to feed bees,<\/a> butterflies<\/a> and other pollinators through summer<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cSwerving mowing in May doesn\u2019t only boost Spring wild flowers, it also allows people a little extra time to enjoy our glorious green spaces and connect with nature,\u201d says Plantlife’s senior ecological advisor Sarah Shuttleworth. <\/p>

\u201cThis reclaimed time can be used to enjoy and explore wildlife friendly activities \u2013 like building a bug hotel<\/a>, installing a wildlife pond or simply admiring the beauty of garden wildlife. From finches<\/a> feeding on dandelion<\/a> clocks to slow worms<\/a> slithering in the sun there\u2019s so much to marvel at in wilder gardens.\u201d\u202f<\/p>

A wildflower meadow with a wooden farm gate leading to a country lane in Kent in springtime\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Following the severe drought of 2022<\/a>, the UK has seen a shift in its attitude towards the traditional bowling-green lawn as gardeners look for alternatives. Programmes such as Wild Isles<\/a> have highlighted the fact that the UK has lost 97% of its wild meadows in recent years, putting classic meadow plants like Ragged Robin, Field Scabious and Devil\u2019s-bit Scabious on to the Near Threatened list. <\/p>

Last year, for the first time, one-third of the gardens at Chelsea Flower Show featured weeds, including bramble<\/a>, thistle and knapweed. Tom Massey, who created a garden for the Royal Entomological Society (RES) says he regards weeds as \u201cresilient plants\u201d.<\/p>

\u201cPeople often get really stressed out about dandelions on the lawn,\u201d Massey told The Times<\/em>, \u201cbut they are a good source of nectar because they flower early in the year and they\u2019re really nice to look at. Even foxgloves and knapweed [are welcome]. There\u2019s a lot of stigma around the word \u2018weed\u2019.\u201d<\/p>

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Trusts<\/a> and Royal Horticultural Society<\/a> (RHS) have launched a campaign called Wild About Lawns<\/em> to encourage gardeners to champion dandelions and other wildflowers by letting lawns grow longer, allowing dandelions<\/a> to flower. Alison Steadman, Wildlife Trusts ambassador, spoke out in support of Wild About Lawns<\/em>.<\/p>

\u201cI absolutely love relaxing in my garden listening to birdsong<\/a>. Longer lawns offer birds the perfect foraging spots especially when there are plenty of wildflowers in amongst the grass. One of my favourite animals is the hedgehog and what better way to make them feel welcome than a luscious patch of grass and wildflowers to hunt for worms and beetles?\u201d<\/p>

Plantlife campaign research has revealed that mowing your lawn less frequently can provide enough nectar sugar for ten times the amount of bees, butterflies, moths<\/a>, beetles<\/a> and other pollinators. Since its launch in 2019, gardeners who take part report up to 250 species of plants, including wild garlic<\/a>, wild strawberry, declining orchids<\/a> and the rare meadow flower<\/a> snakeshead fritillary, flowering within the grasses.<\/p>