The hum of a lawnmower on a Saturday morning is a familiar sound once spring arrives! A well-kept lawn is often seen as a sign of care and pride in our homes. But are we doing more harm than good? This May, there’s a good reason to let the grass grow a little longer.
No Mow May is a small idea with a huge environmental impact: put the mower away for the month and allow lawns to grow naturally. The campaign began here in the UK in 2019 and has since spread internationally. It encourages people to rethink their approach to lawn care—swapping short, tidy grass for wilder patches that provide essential habitat and food for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths.
Pollinator decline is a well-documented issue. A study by the University of Sussex found that a typical garden lawn supports only a few plant species, while a single square metre of unmown meadow can support up to 150. This difference in plant diversity matters. Since the 1930s the UK has lost 97% of our wildflower-rich meadows, and it is no coincidence that between 1980 and 2013, we lost an average of 11 species of bee and hoverfly per square kilometre. Letting lawns grow through May helps these species find food and shelter at a critical time of year. And it’s not just about bees – having more insects attracts more birds and other wildlife, thus helping to strengthen the entire local ecosystem.
There are practical advantages too. Longer grass can help to reduce soil erosion, retain vital moisture, and improve the overall health of the soil. Not only that, it cuts down on the environmental costs associated with mowing: less fuel, fewer emissions, and less noise pollution.
The Wildlife Trusts and other conservation groups back this campaign. Their advice is to leave the lawn untouched for the whole month – that means no mowing, no trimming, and no collecting clippings. Try to limit foot traffic too, so plants have space to grow, flower and flourish. Research has shown that mowing less often can produce ten times more nectar for pollinators!
The results speak for themselves. The participants in No Mow May 2022 reported seeing up to 250 species of plants appear in their lawns, including wild garlic, wild strawberries, orchids, and the rare snakeshead fritillary.
No Mow May is a wonderful chance to step back and see what nature does when left to its own devices. It’s a small change in routine, but one that contributes to a broader effort to support biodiversity and restore a bit of ‘wildness’ to our gardens. So this May, consider letting your lawn grow freely. You might be surprised by what appears—and by how quickly the wildlife returns.
Enjoy the two bank holidays this month, and let’s hope the recent spells of sunshine and warmth continue!
Ian
