No Mow May – and a wildflower challenge

It’s nearly May – and that means one thing – putting that mower away. (Put your feet up and enjoy the sunshine instead!)

Every year Plantlife run the “No Mow May” campaign to encourage people to leave their lawns (or at least a section of it) unmowed. This allows wildflowers to grow and wildlife to flourish. At On the Verge we always enjoy seeing the wide variety of wildflowers that seem to appear from nowhere.

Why is so important? Plantlife explain:

Why do we need No Mow May?

We’ve lost nearly 97% of flower-rich meadows since the 1930’s and with them gone are vital food needed by pollinators, like bees and butterflies.

But your lawn can help! A healthy lawn with some long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife, tackles pollution and can even lock away carbon below ground. Best of all, to reap these benefits all you have to do is not mow your lawn in May and beyond!

How to take part

With over 20 million gardens in the UK, even the smallest grassy patches add up to a significant proportion of our land which, if managed properly, can deliver enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate.

This is why Plantlife calls for people to get involved with #NoMowMay every year, and let wild plants get a head start on the summer. Watch our advice for preparing your garden in spring.