sustainability wildlife gardening biodiversity environment

No Mow May: Good Idea, But Maybe Think Bigger

24 May 2026

No Mow May is an initiative by the charity Plantlife that encourages gardeners to reduce grass cutting during May, allowing wildflowers to bloom and support pollinators, insects, and small mammals. Now in its eighth year, the campaign is growing in popularity, with 32% of 2025 participants joining for the first time. Rather than simply skipping mowing for one month, the article advocates for a longer-term approach — such as dedicating a permanent wild patch or cutting pathways through uncut grass — to provide sustained benefits for wildlife beyond a single month.

No Mow May is picking up serious momentum. According to a survey by UK conservation charity Plantlife, 32% of participants in 2025 were first-timers — and numbers are expected to climb again this year. The campaign, now eight years old, exists for a pretty sobering reason: the UK has lost 97% of its grassland meadows since the 1930s.

With over 23 million gardens in the UK, even a scrappy little patch of uncut lawn adds up. Letting wildflowers do their thing gives pollinators a food source and provides habitat for insects and small mammals. There's also a social contagion element — Plantlife found that 60% of 25 to 34-year-olds are more likely to ditch the mower if their neighbours are doing the same.

The Problem With Stopping at May

Here's the thing though — if you spend all of May nurturing a mini ecosystem and then scalp the whole lot in June, you've essentially pulled the rug out from under everything you were trying to help. The timing of that single cut can be genuinely damaging.

A better approach? Pick a section of your garden and just... leave it until autumn. You don't have to rewild the whole plot. Even a small wild patch gives bees and butterflies the food they need through the warmer months. If the overgrown look bothers you, mow pathways through it — it actually looks intentional and keeps things accessible.

Less About One Month, More About a Mindset Shift

The spirit of No Mow May isn't really about a 31-day mowing ban. It's more of a nudge to mow less, pay attention to what's quietly growing in your lawn, and make small changes that genuinely support local wildlife.

Daisies and dandelions aren't weeds to be defeated — they're free food for pollinators. Give them a chance and see what shows up.