Join Plantlife’s #NoMowMay movement and let your lawn grow wild for wildlife
- Environment
We are delighted to support Plantlife and #NoMowMay through a strategic partnership grant. We have funded Plantlife since 2013, including their Coronation Meadows and road verge campaigns. Through #NoMowMay, Plantlife is helping shift perceptions of lawn care while giving people a direct, positive role in conservation.
As spring paints the world in fresh greens and blooming colors, it’s time to consider a simple yet powerful way to support local ecosystems: don’t mow your lawn in May. That’s right—put away the mower, step back, and let nature do its thing. Welcome to #NoMowMay.
What Is #NoMowMay?
#NoMowMay is a growing movement that encourages homeowners and communities to pause lawn mowing for the month of May. The goal is to give early-flowering plants like dandelions, clover, and wild violets a chance to bloom, providing critical food for pollinators emerging from hibernation.
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are facing alarming declines due to habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. By simply letting your grass grow, you’re creating a sanctuary where these tiny but vital creatures can refuel and thrive.
Plantlife: the charity behind the movement
The #NoMowMay campaign was launched by Plantlife, a conservation charity dedicated to protecting wild plants and fungi. Recognizing that the nation’s 23 million private gardens represent a vast untapped resource for biodiversity, Plantlife began encouraging people to let their lawns grow as a simple yet impactful way to support nature. Their research has shown that unmown lawns can produce up to ten times more nectar for bees and other pollinators.
Why #NoMowMay?
- 🌼 Food for pollinators: Early-season flowers are a lifeline for bees, many of which wake up hungry after a long winter.
- 🐝 Support biodiversity: A more natural lawn attracts insects, birds, and small mammals, helping to rebalance urban and suburban ecosystems.
- 💧 Improve soil and water health: Taller grass shades the soil, helping it retain moisture and reduce erosion. It also absorbs more carbon than frequently mowed lawns.
How to take part?
- Let it grow: Hold off on mowing your lawn for the month of May. Even letting a portion of your garden grow wild can help.
- Talk to neighbours: Spread the word about #NoMowMay. The more participants, the greater the impact.
- Share online: Post photos of your blooming lawn with the hashtag #NoMowMay and inspire others to join.
- Make it a habit: Consider mowing less often year-round or turning parts of your yard into pollinator gardens or native plant beds.
For decades, the “perfect lawn” has meant neat, short grass with no weeds in sight. But a new kind of beauty is taking root—one where wildflowers bloom freely, bees buzz busily, and nature is allowed to breathe. #NoMowMay is about embracing this new vision, one lawn at a time.
Let your lawn grow a little wild this May. Nature will thank you.
Image (C) Trevor Dines, Plantlife
