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Running wild: Gardeners encouraged not to cut lawns during No Mow May




More people are letting their lawns grow wild according to leading nature charity Plantlife.

The annual No Mow May campaign – encouraging gardeners to leave the lawnmowers in the shed – has just begun and according to the charity the number of participants has more than trebled in just three years.

Plantlife reports that garden lawns are being mowed less and less as people embrace wilder gardens, which encourages wild plants and the other wildlife that depend on them.

Counting flowers in No Mow May Picture: Archie Thomas Plantlife
Counting flowers in No Mow May Picture: Archie Thomas Plantlife
No Mow May Picture: Archie Thomas Plantlife
No Mow May Picture: Archie Thomas Plantlife
No Mow May – bird's-foot-trefoil Picture: Trevor Dines Plantlife
No Mow May – bird's-foot-trefoil Picture: Trevor Dines Plantlife

In 2021, No Mow Mayers reported more than 250 plant species including wild strawberry, wild garlic and an array of rarities including adders’-tongue fern, meadow saxifrage, snake’s-head fritillary, and eyebright. Wild orchids including the declining man orchid, green-winged orchid, southern and northern marsh orchid, and bee orchid were also spotted.

In May 2021, Every Flower Counts (EFC) participants counted more than 465,000 flowers, including almost a quarter of a million daisies.

EFC surveyors also recorded almost 100 species of pollinators on their lawns, including 25 types of moth and butterfly and 24 types of bee including the scarce moss carder bee.

Painted Lady on common knapweed in long-grass lawn Picture: Trevor Dines Plantlife
Painted Lady on common knapweed in long-grass lawn Picture: Trevor Dines Plantlife
Oxeye daisy visiting by marmalade hoverfly Picture: Trevor Dines Plantlife
Oxeye daisy visiting by marmalade hoverfly Picture: Trevor Dines Plantlife
No Mow May Picture: Archie Thomas Plantlife
No Mow May Picture: Archie Thomas Plantlife

To find out more about how you can take part visit www.nomowmay.plantlife.org.uk

According to Plantlife one 100 sq metre area of unmowed lawn would produce enough pollen to stock up six mining bee brood cells and enough nectar sugar to meet the needs of six bumblebees a day.

CEO Plantlife Ian Dunn said: “These results demonstrate that our call to No Mow May has set seed and laid down deep roots. The results underline how embracing a little more wildness in our gardens can be a boon for plants, butterflies and bees. We are excited by the unfolding dawn of a new British lawn.”



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