Gardeners urged to let lawns go wild to boost nature

GARDENERS are being encouraged to let their lawns grow wild in May as part of a campaign to promote biodiversity.

Conservation charity Plantlife is urging people to leave their lawnmowers in the shed for a month and to let wild flowers grow instead.

It is also asking people to count the flowers that do grow, and record them as part of its No Mow May project.

Leaving the grass uncut will create a habitat that will benefit bees and other insects, the organisation says.

Plantlife says lawns could be biodiversity hotspots if left alone. It says those who participated in its campaign last year reported the growth of more than 250 plant species on their lawns.

The charity is also urging people to take part in its Every Flower Counts survey at the end of May, to build a picture of what’s been growing in the UK’s lawns.

Respondents last year counted over 465,000 flowers including almost a quarter of a million daisies, it says.

Longer term, the charity recommends a “layered approach”, with shorter grass and longer grass living side by side.