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Join our Specialist Botanical Advisor, Sarah Shuttleworth, for a deep dive into the history of lawns – from how they started to what they represented.
Whether you consider your lawn as a green carpet or a flowering, woven web ecosystem, have you ever considered where the start of the grass mowing habit first began?
Grasslands have almost exclusively been the product of land management by men and women for the purposes of grazing livestock or producing fodder for animals during the winter. This has been practised for thousands of years in the UK and as a result our grassland wildlife has become diverse and in some cases highly adapted.
The act of managing these vast areas of grassland was done by farmers, labourers etc through animal husbandry and hay cutting. It’s important to remember that without cutting or grazing grasslands soon start to scrub over with thorny bushes, then trees and lose the majority of their botanical interest and diversity.
Lawns actually came about during the 18th century as a way of proving to your neighbours that you had the wealth and resources to have land that was not managed for farming but managed for exclusively for recreation and to be aesthetically pleasing.
To keep this grass short and neat required the tireless effort of hired staff to scythe regularly and rake off the cuttings. If you could have someone design your land and gardens that included areas to be managed in such a way, you had truly made it.
By the time the technology to create automotive cutting devices (aka mowers) was available in the 19th century then owning lawns and cutting them really took off as more people aspired to garden like the elite.
The neat and tidy lawns even stretched to far flung areas of the world via the march of the British Empire and with it the desire to create flat green stages for sports such as cricket and football.
During the 19th and 20th centuries this neat and tidy green carpet aesthetic dominated with lawn care becoming a big business. Activities involving fertilising, herbiciding, moss-killing, scarification and aeration were enough to keep anyone busy as a bee on just the lawn, not to mention all the weeding in the herbaceous borders!
As households have become more time-poor and our understanding of climate change and the biodiversity crisis is growing, gardening has been much more a mix of time saving and providing a haven for wildlife. Sometimes sadly one is exclusive of the other with tarmacking over front gardens for driveways or the dreaded laying of fake turf, all for the sake of convenience. Thankfully although the need for parking our family fleet of vehicles is likely to persist the desire for the false economy of artificial lawns is possibly waning. Overall consumer sales and installation enquiries have dropped dramatically as environmental and flooding concerns have come to the forefront.
Although the shift might seem minimal or very gradual, since Plantlife began our No Mow May Campaign, the changes in attitudes and behaviours are noticeable. Relaxing our mowing schedules and embracing our wilder gardens is welcomed by an increasing portion of British society, and the shift from immaculate turf installations to immersive wildlife experiences on your doorstep is simply heart-warming.
Influential landscape designers, including Lanecelot ‘Capability’ Brown are part of the beginning of the traditional English Landscape garden aesthetic. Features such as vast sweeping lawns and parkland tree planting are key aspects to these designs.
Patents for the first lawn mower, enabling the crisp, flat greens of aristocracy to be more readily available to the average home.
The enviable lawn stripes become even easier to obtain thanks to the development of the Flymo mower, allowing a less labour intensive technique to the weekly mow!
Plantlife see an opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of our species-rich grasslands in the wider countryside by encouraging a change in management of our greenspaces by local authorities. A casually used turn of phrase ‘no mow may’ becomes the go to hashtag to punctuate this activity.
No Mow May in its 8th year has become a household name, used to describe a more sensitive way to look after lawns and greenspaces with wildlife as a feature as much as a play or picnic spot. No Mow Movement is gathering momentum and understanding as we embark on creating a shift in attitudes away from making stripes and clean edges to more of a No Mow MAYke a Meadow!
We’re know that No Mow May benefits biodiversity and our pollinators – but did you know that not mowing can also be a huge benefit to amphibians like frogs?
It’s not just wildflowers which benefit from not mowing our lawns this May. Pollinators and other wildlife bring our gardens to life!
There are so many benefits to taking part in the No Mow Movement. From helping wildflowers and grasses to grow freely, providing food for pollinators, habitat for wildlife and helping to tackle the changing climate.
We're not the only ones who love all the benefits of No Mow May! Here, the Butterfly Conservation joins us to give their top 5 species to look out for in your No Mow Movement area.
As well as bringing back the bloom to our lawns, there are many ways you can get involved with No Mow May, even if you don’t have a garden.
We know that No Mow May benefits biodiversity including our pollinators – but did you know that not mowing can also be a huge benefit to amphibians like frogs?
Here, Froglife joins us to give their top No Mow May top tips and insights, including how not mowing can help, what species to spot and where you might find them.
No Mow May encourages people to let grass grow and wildflowers bloom during May and beyond.
While best known for helping pollinators, it also creates important habitats for amphibians such as frogs, toads and newts, as well as reptiles like slow worms and grass snakes.
Amphibians depend on damp environments because their skin dries out easily. Short, regularly mown lawns can become hot and dry, making them unsuitable. Allowing grass to grow helps retain moisture and creates cooler, shaded conditions.
Longer grass also provides:
This makes gardens and green spaces safer places for reptiles and amphibians to feed, rest and move through.
Common species that benefit include:
You may even be lucky enough to see great crested newts!
Reptiles such as slow worms and grass snakes may also use longer grass for cover, hunting and temperature regulation.
Amphibians often breed in ponds, but, like reptiles, they spend much of their lives on land. Both species can be found in:
People without gardens can still support wildlife by encouraging less mowing in shared spaces or supporting local initiatives.
No Mow May and the wider Movement benefits whole ecosystems. Longer grass and wildflowers increase insect numbers, providing food for reptiles, amphibians, and other wildlife.
Healthier habitats also support pollinators, improve soil quality and create more balanced food webs. Reptiles and amphibians are good indicators of environmental health, so supporting them benefits a wide range of species.
Extending No Mow May into summer and beyond brings even greater benefits.
Different stages of amphibian and reptile life cycles depend on longer vegetation:
Maintaining a mix of habitats, long grass, shorter paths, and features like log piles, supports more wildlife than a neatly mown lawn.
No Mow May is a simple way to make gardens and shared spaces more wildlife-friendly. Continuing these practices beyond May helps create connected habitats across urban and rural areas.
Even small changes can make a difference, helping frogs, toads, newts snakes and lizards survive and thrive alongside people.
Plantlife’s No Mow Movement is here – let’s let it grow for nature! Pledge to take part today and get a FREE No Mow May guide.
It’s one of the easiest ways to connect with wildlife and the perfect way to start supporting nature in your garden (in May and beyond!).
We’re not the only ones who love all the benefits of No Mow May!
Here, the Butterfly Conservation joins us to give their top 5 species to look out for in your No Mow Movement area.
May has arrived and with it, sunshine, blooms and busy butterflies looking to complete their lifecycles.
Butterfly Conservation research shows that allowing patches of grass to grow long can boost butterfly numbers by up to 93%, so taking part in No Mow May, as well as things like planting sources of nectar and avoiding pesticides, can all help create a welcoming space for butterflies to thrive.
But which butterflies might you spot in your garden and local green spaces this month?
This beautifully patterned brown and cream butterfly flies from April to October and likes to bask in sunny spots.
It’s a fan of gardens and, if you’ve got a long lawn, you might also spot its vivid green caterpillars, which like to munch on grass.
The Orange-tip only flies for a short time between April and June, so May is an ideal time to get out and spot one. Look out for a flash of orange on the tip of the wings of the males (lending it its name) or a black tip for the females.
Orange-tips also have a beautiful speckled green pattern on their underwings which help to tell them apart from other white butterflies which fly at this time of year.
The Red Admiral is a familiar garden favourite that can be seen in almost any month of the year – even December!
It has striking, orange-red wings and a powerful flight which make it hard to miss but sometimes difficult to get a proper look at.
One of the UK’s most distinctive butterflies, the Peacock has bright and colourful wings with bold ‘eye-spots’ on them which it uses to ward off predators.
However, despite its showy upperwings, with its wings closed, it looks like a dead leaf – you’ll have to keep a careful eye out to spot it.
The Holly Blue is a small, powdery blue butterfly with a delicate flight.
In May, you might spot it flying high around bushes and trees, particularly Holly bushes, which it lays its eggs on in spring.
If you want to see a kaleidoscope of colour and life across the country this summer, then make sure you join Plantlife’s No Mow May movement!
As well as bringing back the blooms to our lawns, there are many ways you can get involved, even if you don’t have a garden.
Here are 6 ways you can spread the No Mow May love to your community and beyond, to make this year more vibrant than ever!
Creating a meadow is a really simple way to bring the local community together, whilst doing something positive for nature. So, what are community meadows? They are areas, predominantly of grassland, that are owned and managed by the community, such as parks, road verges, school grounds, village greens, church land or fields.
You don’t need to be an expert to start one – we’ve shared our tips for how to begin, what to plant, how to manage your green space year-round and how to engage the community.
Take a look at out guide
You may not have your own lawn or green space, but your neighbour or community might! If the 23 million garden owners of the UK joined forces for nature, it could transform the fortunes for our wild plants and the much-loved wildlife that depend on them.
Why not share our No Mow May resources with your neighbours and community? We’ve got posters, signs, pictures and social media cards which are a fantastic conversation starter – it could even be the start of a No Mow May street!
As well as a place to grow our curiosity, our educational spaces can be home to playing fields, verges and gardens which are ready to burst with life each spring. If your school isn’t taking part already, consider having a chat with staff to see if a space can be left for nature this year. As well as being a bonus for wildlife, why not use this as a fun learning opportunity to discover how many species you can spot?
Whether it’s parish, town or district council, reaching out to your local decision makers to promote wildlife-friendly management can make a big difference. Local support can really help to bring about change, whether that’s through a volunteer group or social media page. Check out our Good Meadows Guide for some convincing talking points or the Flowers on Roadside Verges Facebook group for some inspiration.
Our councils manage some of our most widely-used green spaces, no matter where you live. Ask your local councillor about your councils plans to provide a home for wildflowers and wildlife in May and beyond, and share their good work on social media.
If you have outdoor space but no lawn, don’t write off No Mow May just yet! Encourage wildlife to your garden with a pot or window box – what happens if you leave one with bare soil, perhaps local wild plants seed will find their way in. There are also native seed mixes you can sprinkle into pots which pollinators like bees and butterflies will go wild for!
Often the cornerstone of our communities, our places of worship can be a sanctuary for people and wildlife alike. See if your local church, mosque or other place of worship has a green space they can pledge for nature this No Mow May. Churchyards for example, are often excellent places for wildflower and wildlife that enjoy the undisturbed grasslands.
Join our Senior Conservation Officer for Fungi, Aileen Baird, as she discovers a rare fungus – one of the most beautiful and unusual species native to the UK.
You don't need to travel far to find fungi. Some of Britain's most fascinating species could be growing on the tree outside your front door, in the local park, or tucked into a shady corner of your own garden. Let's go and find them.
This autumn, help us find some of the UK's most colourful and important fungi — waxcaps.. Knowing where waxcaps are thriving helps us to protect ancient meadows.
You’ve heard all about the No Mow Movement – but you’re not sure where to start?
Join us for a deep dive into your spring lawn and learn everything you need to know about how to prep for the best No Mo May!
Plantlife’s No Mow May gears up in spring, and every year it’s gaining more and more momentum – but if you’ve never taken part before, where do you start?
The journey is all up to you and it can be as simple or as green-fingered as you like.
So if you’re looking for some ideas to get you started, here’s some of our top tips to get you on your No Mow way.
Starting a new journey with your precious garden can be daunting, and we know that many people have lots of questions – from what happens when you stop mowing, to which flowers might pop-up.
So to help kick-start your journey, we’ve put together a handy guide with everything you need to know about the No Mow Movement – it’s the perfect place to get started.
The important thing is not to be intimidated and to give it a go – every wild patch can add up to huge gains for nature. And the aim is simple: to get people cutting less, for longer. So, whether you join us just for May or stick with it all season, it all makes a real difference.
Take part
It’s completely up to you how you prepare – you could just get to the first of the month and pack the mower away.
But there are a couple of things you could try to give your lawn the best chance of beautiful biodiversity:
That’s up to you – but we’d recommend pledging for No Mow May, flicking through your FREE guide (complete with wildflower ID), grabbing a cup of tea and basking in nature!
When May starts, the easy bit begins: sign up, stop mowing, sit back and let it grow.
May is a great month to get started, because that’s when most of our wonderful wild plants are getting going for the season. Giving them time to grow during this period gives them a good head start.
At this time of year, your garden can also become a haven for wildlife at a time when it is greatly needed.
We think of May as the starting point, a springboard for managing your lawn for nature year-round. If you can make a start in May, that’s brilliant.
But really, this is part of a much bigger movement of caring for your garden to help nature. The goal is to mow less for longer, and to manage our lawns like mini hay meadows.
By pledging to take part in the No Mow Movement, you’re joining a community of people all caring for their gardens and greenspaces with nature in mind. And the more grassy spaces helping wildlife, the better.
It’s very easy and takes just 2 minutes to pledge and get your FREE No Mow May guide.
Please pledge today (you can join at any time from March to June) and help us see how many people are helping nature by letting it grow.
You can just stop mowing and see what comes up – in fact, the plants growing in your garden can even give you a bit of a history lesson on what your garden might have been in a former life.
But if you want to give biodiversity a bit of a boost, there’s a simple trick – variety!
If you keep 2 to 3 different grass lengths throughout the summer, it can help maximise flower variety as well as the nectar they produce for our precious pollinators:
If you leave your lawn to do its thing, it’s going to look stunning no matter what comes through – nature is great like that.
Wildflowers are stunning and they’re certainly a favourite for our pollinators – but our gorgeous grasses often get left out of the spotlight.
When your grass is getting longer, take some time to sit out, watch the sun shining through the blades and the wind whisper through it.
Also, did you know that our native grasses are great for nature? Keep an eye out for the incredible Cock’s-foot Grass for example. It’s one of our tallest lawn grasses and can reach more than 1 metre. It provides pollen that honeybees love, caterpillars eat its leaves, finches feed on its seed and its tussocks provide safe places for nesting mammals and bees.
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘weed’? Join us as we uncover the myths #and delve into what it really means.
It’s a word we’re all familiar with, and one we hear often, especially during our annual No Mow Movement – ‘What about the weeds’?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a weed as, ‘any wild plant that grows in an unwanted place’.
If you were asked to picture a weed, perhaps some people would think of a Dandelion pushing up through the pavement, or a lone Forget-me-not lurking in your lawn. Many people think of specific plants as ‘weeds’, but that’s not true.
So, join us as we weed out the myths of the word ‘weeds’.
Here’s the thing – the actual definition of a weed is simply, “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted, especially among crops or garden plants.”
Just a plant, in a place we didn’t choose.
Technically speaking, any plant can be a weed. Even our most treasured native wildflowers such as orchids, simply for existing in a spot we decided they shouldn’t.
So, what makes people think of a Dandelion as a weed but an orchid as a prized plant? It’s simply perception and context.
The word ‘weed’ has been part of the English language since at least the 9th century.
It’s believed to have come from the Old English word ‘weod’, which simply means a plant – including herbs or even trees.
Over time however it took on more of a negative tone, especially as agriculture became more dominant and plants that competed with crops then took on the name.
By the 19th and 20th centuries, with the rise of industrial farming and garden landscaping, ‘weeds’ became enemies. Something to spray, pull, or pave over.
But in nature there are no weeds. Just plants doing what they’ve always done – growing, spreading, surviving.
Non-Native Invasive Species aren’t weeds by definition, but they certainly can cause problems.
Non-native plants are simply plants that have been introduced to the UK, that naturally grow in other parts of the world.
Not all non-native plants become problems – many of them integrate into our habitats without causing damage (these are called ‘naturalised’ species). However, some thrive in our habitats, so much so that they out compete our native plants, these are known as Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS). These include common garden centre finds such as Rhododendron.
One in five species of UK vascular plants are at risk of extinction. The second biggest threat to biodiversity is Invasive Non-Native Plants, so they must be taken seriously.
Read our blog here to find out more.
While the majority of plants have value to wildlife, some can cause problems, mainly to other plants around them.
Think of a thicket of nettles for instance, there’s not much biodiversity in the swathe as it has a tendency to takeover. While large amounts of such plants can cause problems, small amounts are That said, it’s important to remember the benefit that plants, including nettles bring to our other wildlife. Nettles can be a great addition to your green space and support more than 40 different insects and butterflies!
So, while problem plants aren’t necessarily ‘weeds’ we recognise that some plants could benefit from some careful control. Read our blog here, to find out how to manage problem plants such as Thistle and Common Ragwort.
We ran a survey recently and found that 56% of people think of Dandelions as a weed. That’s not a huge surprise – Dandelions have had a bit of a PR problem. But the truth is, they’re not ‘weeds’ but wildflowers. And quite useful ones, at that! In fact they were once revered as a cure all medicinal herb and even appear in ancient Greek mythology.
Watch our video below to find out why we should rekindle our love of the humble Dandelion.
Dandelions are amazing! Did you know that Dandelions support more than 50 species of insects? Or that Dandelions have been used in medicine for centuries?
The good news? More than 90% of 19-24 year olds in our survey said they see dandelions and daisies as wildflowers, not weeds. This gives hope for the future of our native wild plants.
Perhaps in the future we will all see ‘weeds’ differently – as part of a bigger picture. ‘Weeds’ are our native plants and part of the planet long before we were. They make up important habitats, improve biodiversity, provide food and even medicine, they even capture carbon!
Let’s change our perspectives to see ‘weeds’ for what they really are, wildflowers that are symbols of resilience, beauty and wildness.
They might not be as colourful, but they're every bit as important and add movement and texture to our landscape. From sweet scents to clever survival strategies, our native grasses are full of surprises.
Rhododendron ponticum might just look like a pretty pink flower you can spot in a garden or on a walk, but there’s so much more to the story. Did you know it’s an invasive non-native species destroying native wildlife and our temperate rainforests? Our Rainforest Advocacy Officer Erin Shott explains.
If you have any questions before getting started, from what happens when you stop mowing, to which flowers might pop up – here’s everything you need to know to join the movement.
For the past 7 years, thousands of people have joined our No Mow May movement, choosing to give nature a boost by letting their lawns grow.
This year, it’s all about the flowers! We want as many people as possible to give power to the flowers by letting their lawns bloom throughout May and beyond.
No Mow May™ is Plantlife’s annual campaign we launched in 2018 to encourage people to manage their lawns for nature.
But No Mow May is just the beginning, it’s followed by Let it Bloom June and Mow-saic months right the way through. They’re all part of the growing No Mow Movement!
We see May as an entry point for people, whether you’re someone who has never thought beyond a neatly manicured lawn or someone who has always wanted to try gardening for nature. Our aim is simple: to get people cutting less, for longer. So, whether you join us just for May or stick with it all season, it all makes a real difference for nature.
We chose May to get started, because that’s when most of our wonderful wild plants are getting going for the season. Giving them time during this period gives them a good head start.
We think of May as the starting point, a springing board for managing your lawn for nature year round. Sometimes it’s easier for people to start small, before committing to a bigger shift in their gardening journey. The goal is to mow less for longer.
Why not check out our No Mow Movement Calendar for top lawn tips throughout the year.
The No Mow Movement Calendar
2025 will be our 7th No Mow May! We started the Movement back in 2018 and thousands of people have joined us over the years, creating space for nature in their gardens.
Approximately 97% of flower-rich meadows have been lost since the 1930s, and with them, vital food and habitat needed by wildlife.
While this fact is alarming, joining the No Mow Movement is one way we can all help. There are more than 20 million gardens in the UK, and every patch, no matter how small, can add up to deliver huge gains for nature, people and the climate.
The good news is that everyone can take part in No Mow May! Even the smallest areas can add up to big wins for nature. So, whether you have a tiny space, a balcony or no garden at all, there’s always ways to join the movement.
You could make a mini meadow in even the smallest garden, or you could create one in a planter. Read our 6 Ways to do No Mow May Without a Lawn blog here, for more ideas.
Parks, road verges and village greens can all be turned into wild areas. Look out for your local Friends of Group to see if there’s any green spaces you could get involved in. If you’re not lucky enough to live close to an established group, why not consider starting your own community meadow? Read our guidance here for more information.
We’re glad you asked! It’s super easy to join the movement, all you need to do is sign up here, then put your feet up and let nature do the rest! And, for some top tips on taking part, read our lawn guide here.
The more people that sign up the better! We have streamlined our sign-ups so it’s quicker than not mowing your lawn! Registering helps us to keep track of the space that is being created for nature across the UK.
Plus, by joining the No Mow Movement you will also get access to exclusive tips, guides, stories and badges
How you take part in No Mow May is up to you — but if you want to give biodiversity the biggest boost, there’s a simple trick –, variety!
Keeping 2 to 3 different grass lengths throughout the summer helps maximise flower variety and the nectar they produce.
Nature will thank you! Giving your lawn a mowing break over the summer can allow time needed by wildflowers, to grow, bloom and set seed.
Wilder lawns are great for nature, for carbon storage, biodiversity and of course wildlife! From the insects and birds that can hide away in longer grasses, to the pollinators that wildflowers will feed, your lawn will be buzzing with life.
We encourage people to manage their lawns for nature all year round, and management does include mowing. We know that some people will need to mow more frequently than others – it’s all about mowing less for longer. Even cutting down to mowing once a month can boost lawn biodiversity and help pollinators.
If you are leaving your lawn for nature all summer long, we know that the grassy growth might get away from you.
But many mowers can cope with taller vegetation, especially if you mow in 2 stages:
Firstly, check your lawn for wildlife – and never mow around the edges towards the centre, this leaves no escape route for wildlife. Instead, as you mow, progress gradually towards sanctuary areas such as uncut grass strips at boundaries.
Next, set the blades as high as possible then mow strips only half as wide as the mower. This will reduce the load on the mower’s engine and make the job easier. You can then re-pass as normal with blades set lower to finish the job. Alternatively, if you have one, a strimmer can be a better way to tackle a taller sward.
Remember to remove your grass cuttings after you’ve finished strimming or mowing to prevent nutrient build-up on lawns, which can be detrimental to many wild plants.
This can depend on many of different things from how nutrient– rich your garden is, to the PH of the soil and what has seeded there naturally over time.
Common flowers you can look for include the Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Creeping Buttercup, Daisy, Dandelion, Clover, Self–heal and speedwells.
The more you let nature back into your garden, the more likely you will be to see wildflowers in the future. However, if you want to encourage more wildflowers into your lawn, there are a few things you can do.
Read our Increase the Number of Wildflowers in your Lawn blog here to find out more.
Increase the Number of Wildflowers in Your Lawn – Plantlife
We know it’s not practical for everyone to leave their entire lawns all summer long – that’s why we recommend a mow-saic approach!
Traditional hay meadows are cut once in the summer and then kept short by grazing until April. This is the process we are trying to replicate in our green spaces, so ideally some mowing is needed.
Keeping some areas longer and some shorter is a great way to keep your garden accessible while benefitting wildlife But really, how long you want to go is up to you!
Lawns left long between April or May until mid July followed by simply mowing regularly afterwards, will go straight back to that green carpet look for the rest of the year.
However, if you choose to leave your lawn long right the way through the summer until September, it might start to affect the look. Leaving your lawn long for longer can create some tussocky grass as well as thatch (dead grass/plant material), though this can be raked away partially.
If want to find out if you’re lucky enough to have any late blooming wildflowers in your lawn, but you don’t want to affect the look long term, you could try alternating. One year you could cut in mid-July then the next you could leave your lawn until September.
While No Mow May has clear benefits for wildlife, we understand it can raise some concerns for people too. We don’t want to shy away from the questions or worries you might have—so below, we’ve addressed some of the most common ones.
No Mow May is good for wild plants but what about other wildlife? Longer grass can make the perfect hiding place for hedgehogs and bugs to take shelter. And we know that this causes concerns about the risks that animals could face when it comes time to mow.
Our advice is to work gradually parallel to shelter (such as borders and hedges), which the wildlife can move towards. So you are moving closer to the shelter one mower’s width at a time.
Work from paths and high footfall areas towards the boundaries to allow disturbed wildlife to move towards cover gradually. Never mow from the outside inwards. Making a first pass with a high blade setting on your mower will help to flush wildlife before making a lower -repass for a neater finish.
And before you mow, wildlife will thrive from the benefits of your mini meadows such as all of the nectar, pollen, shelter and structure wildflowers provides!
Grass pollen can definitely be a cause of hay fever but longer grass in May is unlikely to be a big driver of high pollen counts in your area.
We know how hard hay fever can be – and all allergies must be taken very seriously. We would not advocate any garden maintenance regime that negatively impacts on residents’ health.
The occurrence of ticks in gardens is increasing, so you should wear long trousers and examine yourself carefully for ticks whenever you’ve been in long grass or other long vegetation.
Ticks are very small insects that spread a serious bacterial infection called Lyme disease. The ticks live on mammals such as hedgehogs, badgers and foxes and then drop off into long grass and vegetation, where we can pick them up and become infected. If you are bitten by a tick look out for flu-like symptoms such as feeling hot and shivery, headaches, aching muscles or feeling sick, and a circular red rash around the tick bite.
In areas where ticks are prevalent, consider maintaining a shorter grass lawn mown once every four weeks. For more information see www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease and www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk
The sun is shining, the days are longer and our green fingers are ready to get stuck back in to some spring gardening.
Our gardens have the ability to become havens for nature. Increasing biodiversity, encouraging native wildflowers, letting our lawns grow wild and even planting mini meadows are all excellent ways to have a more nature-friendly garden.
As we enter spring, our minds are definitely turning to the jobs we can get stuck into in the garden, to get ready for a blooming good season.
Our Specialist Botanical Advisor Sarah Shuttleworth is on hand with expert advice for jobs you can do now.
Mow – sounds counter intuitive but actually if you can get the mower going over your lawn or No Mow May areas a couple of times before April/end of March then you will give the other species hiding amongst the grass more of a chance. This is particularly important if you have sown Yellow Rattle seed, although once you start finding the Yellow Rattle seedlings appear and are tall enough to be affected by a mow, then that’s the time to leave the mowing to allow them to grow.
No this doesn’t have anything to do with roofs. Sometimes our lawns and other grasslands can get a bit clogged up with dead plant material (known as thatch), like dead grass or old cuttings that didn’t all get picked up by the mower.
This thatch can reduce light levels to seeds waiting to germinate or other plants wanting to get growing in the spring, plus it can add nutrients to the soil, which might sound great, but not for native wildflowers trying to compete with the vigorous grasses.
Therefore during February and again next winter from autumn (although check for grassland fungi first, you don’t want to disturb them if you are lucky enough to have them in your green space) you want to rake out the thatch.
Maybe this will be your first year doing No Mow May, in which case you might want to spend a bit of time planning where you want to leave long all summer long, where you maybe want to mow monthly and where you want to have short or paths for walking around. You could draw up some designs even for creating wild and wonderful shapes. Or you could simply devote your entire lawn or green space to the way of the meadow!
If you don’t have a lawn, what about creating some meadow planters? Tubs, pots or deep trays could be sown in April with a meadow mix. This will ideally be one that is a mix of grasses and wildflower seeds, which will avoid gaps for weeds to arrive.
Remember our native meadows are mostly full of native perennial species (plants that live more than one year) rather than Cornflowers, Poppies and similar, which are annual species associated with disturbed soil like that of farmed fields.
* You can find a range of seeds at our shop here.
Leave the untidy corners and wild areas – it might be tempting to start tidying up the garden before the growing season starts, but these areas of leaf litter, twigs and longer grass along fences or hedges are perfect spots for insects, reptiles and amphibians to have been sheltering over winter. If you start to tidy it up too early you could be disturbing a slumbering creature that isn’t ready to spring into action until the weather starts warming up.
This also goes for the remnants of last years plants in your borders or pots. Sometimes these dead stems and leaves are perfect for insects to hide in whilst it’s cold and damp. Therefore leave these up all winter if you can and only ‘tidy’ up when the spring days are warm enough.
Often gardening tips to get your garden ready for spring, include prepping your lawn. The main focus of this is usually to feed your lawn, but this will only promote the vigorous grasses to out compete everything else, leaving the tiny speedwells, mouse-ears, and medicks getting crowded out!
Hopefully our top tips have given you some inspiration to get out and enjoy the spring sunshine while sprucing up your lawn or garden.
If you’re looking for more ways to move towards a more nature-friendly garden, why not join our No Mow May movement?
Plantlife’s No Mow May Movement is here – let’s let it grow for nature.
It’s is one of the easiest ways to help the environment from your garden, in May and beyond.
From the wildflowers in our meadows, to the shrubs in our hedgerows, and the blooms in our gardens – pollinators play a pivotal role.
Eager to get more bees and butterflies into your garden? Follow our pollinator-friendly tips!
Our plants and pollinators go hand in hand. You might have heard how important pollinators are to our food crops, but did you know they are just as vital for the rest of our plants? From the wildflowers in our meadows, to the shrubs in our hedgerows, and our garden blooms, to our ancient woodlands – pollinators play a pivotal role.
Unfortunately, some populations of pollinators in the UK are now in decline. While there is no one answer to the cause of this drop in numbers, habitat loss is certainly high on the list. Which is why it’s so important that there are moments like Bees Needs Week or National Meadows Day (on the first Saturday in July) that spotlight the incredible meadows and flower-rich grasslands that are home to pollinators.
Plantlife, and other environmental and farming organisations, are calling on the UK Government to prioritise action for these habitats by committing to developing a Grassland Action Plan.
Read more below to find out how you can get involved.
Whilst some pollinators are more well known than other, a wide range of insects and other animals can also fall under the umbrella because they move pollen to fertilise plants.
Here is a list of common pollinators in the UK, some you might already be familiar with, while others are a little more unusual:
By making small changes to how you manage your lawn, you can make a huge difference to nature. As well encouraging a more species-rich green space for you to enjoy, wilder lawns can also be havens to other wildlife, including our pollinators.
Follow our expert guide to managing a nature friendly lawn here, or find more information here on how to encourage more wildflowers into your garden.
Pollinators love some of our common lawn species including White Clover Trifolium repens, Dandelion Taraxacum officinale and Daisy Bellis perennis. Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor is also a firm favourite and can help to suppress the growth of grasses to allow room for other species and wildflowers to grow.
It’s important to remember that butterflies and bees feed on pollen and nectar, so choosing plants that are rich in both will help to provide a full feast for our insect friends.
These plants are favourites among some of our common pollinators and could be good to include in your garden. Click through to our species pages to learn more.
The ‘June Gap’, refers to the time in the year when the spring flowers are fading but the summer ones have not yet reached their peak, which means nectar and pollen can be harder to find.
Here are some plants that can help to bridge this gap and brighten your garden at the same time:
You don’t have to have your own garden to lend a helping hand to pollinators. There’s several ways you can still get involved, including by making your own mini meadow.
Plant pots by the door, hanging baskets along your walls or window boxes all make great options to increase the biodiversity in your area, even without a garden. Have a look at the suggestions above for ideas of what to plant, harvest your own seeds, or even buy our Perfect for Pollinators seed mix here to get started.
Why not share the joy of creating a nature-friendly space and start a community meadow? This is not only a great way of bringing attention to plants and pollinators in your area, but it’s also a fun way to get to know your neighbours. Find out more in our guide to getting started here.
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