June 29, 2023
May is a great month for thinking about the wildlife in your nearby natural spaces, from gardens to verges, with No Mow May, World Bee Day, Garden Wildlife Week and upcoming Let it Bloom June.
No Mow May is Plantlife’s annual campaign to encourage everyone to look out for their local wildlife by avoiding mowing. With almost 97% of flower rich meadows lost since the 1970s, this simple step allows for long grasses and diverse wildflowers to grow and support vital pollinators, like bees. Find out more about bees and why it is so important to support bee populations with this World Bee Day fact file and quiz!
You can show off your beautiful natural spaces on social media with #NoMowMay, or let Plantlife know that you’ve been getting involved to access their Expert Guide to Lawns.
But what’s next? If you’ve been loving the results of your own No Mow May, you might want to follow it up with Let it Bloom June!
Plantlife has some great suggestions for how you can maintain your garden, whilst still supporting its wildlife. Perhaps you could look at just mowing your pathways and functional spaces, leaving patches that are only mown twice a year and create the effect of a traditional hay meadow in your own back garden.
If you’re looking for inspiration to support your own local wildlife, check out some of the projects already taking place across the South Hams. You could encourage gardeners to work towards Devon Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Garden Award, involve your church in the Devon Living Churchyards project or even take on some land to convert to a wildflower meadow. We’d love to hear what you get up to!