I had never heard of No Mow May, living here in the U.S. A wonderful idea, but I think my husband would go crazy if the lawn couldn't be mowed all month! He does, however, love my garden full of butterfly and bee attracting plants... Maybe I'll start planting some of those in the front yard...
Hi Daisy! It's a constant battle throughout the year on our plot - between the wildflower meadow loveliness when we let the grass grow - and the unmanageable mess when it gets too much and we are trying to clean up after the dogs :-) I'm like you, and dream of my own wildflower meadow some day. For now, the deal is that we will let patches grow, wherever there are wildflowers, and mow around them until they get too long, then we will cut them and let other patches grow. It seems to work well - but I'd love to leave it all!
Hi Melissa, It seems you have reached a good compromise for the way you want to maintain the wildness of your garden and still make room for the practicalities of life. We will keep dreaming and then one day...... :-)
Oh Daisy how wonderful! You know my feelings on the relative inadequacy of No Mow May, being that a month is not enough, and it encourages insects in only for them to be scythed down on June 1st. No Mow Summer is better, but No Mow Ever is my motto. I've never understood the pull of the manicured lawn, frankly, compared to the abundance of a more natural ecosystem. What I think was probably the lawn here is now our pond, and the rest does a lot of what it wants most of the year round, except for a bit of control over the brambles and cleavers type plants. Birds need bugs all year round, and particularly during the spring-summer. Of course all that lovely long grass (the more species the better) is acting as a maternity unit for all manner of invertebrates, especially butterflies and moths. Maybe give your husband a big magnifying glass so he too can get excited? Good luck! (Apologies for over enthusing)
I had never heard of No Mow May, living here in the U.S. A wonderful idea, but I think my husband would go crazy if the lawn couldn't be mowed all month! He does, however, love my garden full of butterfly and bee attracting plants... Maybe I'll start planting some of those in the front yard...
It is never too late to start a wildlife revolution. 🌱🌳🦋🐝🦔
Hi Daisy! It's a constant battle throughout the year on our plot - between the wildflower meadow loveliness when we let the grass grow - and the unmanageable mess when it gets too much and we are trying to clean up after the dogs :-) I'm like you, and dream of my own wildflower meadow some day. For now, the deal is that we will let patches grow, wherever there are wildflowers, and mow around them until they get too long, then we will cut them and let other patches grow. It seems to work well - but I'd love to leave it all!
Hi Melissa, It seems you have reached a good compromise for the way you want to maintain the wildness of your garden and still make room for the practicalities of life. We will keep dreaming and then one day...... :-)
Oh Daisy how wonderful! You know my feelings on the relative inadequacy of No Mow May, being that a month is not enough, and it encourages insects in only for them to be scythed down on June 1st. No Mow Summer is better, but No Mow Ever is my motto. I've never understood the pull of the manicured lawn, frankly, compared to the abundance of a more natural ecosystem. What I think was probably the lawn here is now our pond, and the rest does a lot of what it wants most of the year round, except for a bit of control over the brambles and cleavers type plants. Birds need bugs all year round, and particularly during the spring-summer. Of course all that lovely long grass (the more species the better) is acting as a maternity unit for all manner of invertebrates, especially butterflies and moths. Maybe give your husband a big magnifying glass so he too can get excited? Good luck! (Apologies for over enthusing)