Despite a chilly few weeks, Spring is now firmly upon us, and with it comes the opportunity to make a positive impact on your garden here in the UK. Today we’re focussing on No Mow May and we’re going to explain why we think it’s a brilliant idea.
If you haven’t already heard of No Mow May, it’s a campaign that encourages people to hold back from mowing their lawns throughout May. No Mow May was the brainchild of conservation charity Plantlife back in 2019.
As gardening enthusiasts and experts, we at Genesis Gardens can attest to the fact that No Mow May is a great way to improve your garden. Not only will it increase biodiversity, but it will also positively impact wildlife. And as a bonus, taking part in No Mow May will give you more time to relax and enjoy your garden without worrying about maintenance.
Improve Biodiversity
One of the main benefits of No Mow May is that it increases biodiversity in your garden. When you allow your lawn to grow, and create an environment with some long grass and wildflowers, your garden starts to provide food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators.
As we’ve explained in our previous post Attract Bees and Pollinators to Your UK Garden: a How-to Guide, Pollinators are essential for the growth of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, and by increasing their presence in your garden, you’re helping to support a healthy ecosystem. We very much encourage the cultivation of pollinator-friendly plants, and taking part in No Mow May is a quick and easy way to get started!
Benefit Wildlife
In addition to providing a habitat for pollinators, No Mow May also benefits wildlife. By allowing your lawn to grow, you create a safe haven for birds, small mammals, and insects. These creatures need a place to live and breed, and a lawn that is left untouched can provide the perfect environment for all kinds of wildlife to thrive.
And, why not spend some of the time you save on mowing and cultivating your lawn on wildlife-friendly garden activities such as building a bug hotel or hedgehog house, or planning an environmentally-friendly natural clay pond?
Tackle Pollution
Longer, thicker grass has a number of even wider environmental benefits. Grass and other plants capture carbon emissions from the atmosphere and lock up carbon in the soil, cleaning up the air that we all breathe. We’ve explained more about this in our previous post Five Environmental Benefits of Green Roofs in Urban and Suburban Areas. Longer, thicker grass can also help alleviate flooding as it slows the flow of water and helps to store water during heavy downpours. Similarly, it helps to protect against soil erosion caused by intense rainfall, wind, heavy footfall and more.
Relax and Enjoy Your Garden
Yet another benefit of No Mow May is that it gives you a chance to relax and enjoy your garden. Instead of spending time mowing, weeding, and maintaining your lawn, you can sit back and watch as your garden comes to life. You’ll be amazed at the variety of plants and insects that will appear in your garden over just a short period of time once you stop mowing.
And if you decide you like the natural look and feel of your No Mow May garden, come and have a chat with us about our popular Wildflower Turf options.
It’s easy to take part in No Mow May
So, how do you participate in No Mow May? It’s easy! Simply don’t mow your lawn during the month of May. You can still trim the edges if you wish (although we see no reason to!), but leave the main part of your lawn to grow. You may be surprised at how quickly the grass grows, but that’s all part of the fun!
Plantlife would love you to register your participation in #NoMowMay with them to help build a picture of the size of the area which has been liberated for nature.
If you’re concerned about the appearance of your lawn during No Mow May, don’t worry. A wildflower meadow can be just as beautiful as a manicured lawn. In fact, we believe it can be even more beautiful because of the variety of plants and colours that will appear. If you want to take things one step further, come and have a chat with the Genesis Gardens team about creating a nature-friendly garden with Wildflower Turf or a Natural Clay Pond.
So we at Genesis Gardens believe that No Mow May is a great way to improve your garden. By allowing your lawn to grow, you’ll increase biodiversity, support wildlife, help tackle pollution and give yourself a break from maintenance. So, why not join #NoMowMay and see the positive impact it can have on your garden?