As Spring blooms across the UK, the call for No Mow May echoes loudly, urging us to take a step back and allow nature to reclaim outside spaces for a month. The initiative aims to create spaces where wildflowers can flourish, bees and butterflies can pollinate, and wildlife such as hedgehogs can thrive undisturbed. It’s a well-meaning movement, one that invites us to reconsider our relationship with manicured green spaces and how they impact the environment.

However, as we celebrate the positive aspects of this initiative, it’s important to consider a common pitfall that many fall into as the month of May ends. While the temporary pause in mowing may seem like a win for wildlife, the sudden return of garden tools in June can undo much of the good. The eager strimmers and mowers that follow the end of No Mow May often wreak havoc, especially for the wildlife that may have settled into these "wild" patches of our gardens.

The Problem with "Hack and Go" Gardening

For many, No Mow May is a brief respite, a one-month commitment to a more natural garden. However, once June 1st rolls around, the temptation to return to our old habits is strong - a pristine lawn, free of "weeds" and overgrowth – yet this quick return to taming our outdoor spaces can be incredibly harmful to the wildlife that have discovered and made themselves at home in our gardens. The very act of hacking everything back after a month of growth can destroy newly established habitats.

Wildlife, particularly insects, birds, and small mammals are quick to respond to the newly sprouted wildflowers, grasses, nettles and even brambles that No Mow May allows to flourish. These species are not just passing through; they’re building homes, laying eggs, and feeding on the abundant natural food sources in these lush environments. When we suddenly trim back everything in June, we risk killing off the new nests, uprooting the wildflowers, and disrupting a delicate ecosystem that has only just started to form.

A Better Solution: A Year-Round Commitment to Nature

Rather than simply participating in No Mow May as a one-off, why not consider dedicating a portion of your garden permanently to nature? In many cases, a small, designated space is all it takes to create a rich, thriving ecosystem. Wildflower patches, areas of long grass, or leaving a corner of your garden to nature year-round can have a huge impact.

This more permanent commitment allows the plants, insects, and wildlife to settle and thrive undisturbed, creating an environment that supports biodiversity not just for a month, but for the entire year. When nature has a consistent home, it’s more likely to stay and reproduce, contributing to the broader health of our ecosystem.

If you can set aside just a small area this will really help in the long term. A patch of wildflowers, uncut grass, or native plants can also be more resilient against the changing seasons, providing a continuous food source for pollinators and habitats for other wildlife.

How to Start: Simple Steps to Support Biodiversity All Year Round

  1. Designate an area to Nature - Choose a part of your garden you are happy to leave untouched. Let grasses grow, and wildflowers naturally bloom. You could introduce native plants that are beneficial for wildlife if you’d like to give things a helping hand.

  2. Leave the Leaves - Instead of clearing away any fallen leaves in the autumn, leave them where they fall, or in piles. These offer shelter for overwintering insects as well as nesting materials for mammals such as hedgehogs.

  3. Create a Hedgehog Highway: Hedgehog Awareness Week also take place in May (4th-10th) so keeping some areas of your garden wild and unkempt will provide important shelter for hedgehogs.  However, they need access to this and other hedgerows and natural spaces so if you have fencing, do make sure there’s a 13cm square gap to allow hedgehogs to move between gardens on their search for natural food, mates, and shelter.

  4. Introduce Pollinator-Friendly Plants: If you’re keen on maintaining some structure in your garden, opt for plants that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Plants such as lavender, foxglove, borage, and marigolds not only beautify your space but help support local biodiversity.

  5. Don’t Use Pesticides or Herbicides: Chemicals can be incredibly harmful to insects, birds, and wildlife, so look to organic gardening methods to keep your nature patch healthy and safe for wildlife.

Making a longer-term commitment to nature means we can transform our gardens into havens for wildlife, creating environments where creatures can thrive in peace all year round, and is a positive step towards lasting change in our gardens and our relationship with the environment

Do please share this blog post to raise awareness and encourage others to think beyond No Mow May!