27 April 2023 , 23:01
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Gardeners should stop mowing their lawns to let nature flourish and help combat the climate crisis, a charity urges.
Plantlife’s No Mow May campaign encourages people to invite wildlife into their gardens and cut pollution by locking up the mower for at least a month.
It says 97% of flower meadows have been lost since the 1970s, yet longer grass and flourishing meadows help to feed essential pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
Britain’s lawns cover 125,000 hectares, the size of Bedfordshire, according to Plantlife.
Ian Dunn, CEO, said: “The immaculate bright green bowling green lawn with its neat stripes may have historically been the desired garden aesthetic but, increasingly, we’re seeing a cultural shift which sees wilder lawns buzzing with bees and butterflies becoming highly valued.
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Leaving the grass to grow can boost the environment (Getty Images)“A radical shift in attitudes towards lawn management is under way and it is to the benefit of plants, pollinators, people and planet.” The plea comes ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend with temperatures up to 21C in parts of the country today.
However, most parts of Britain will get some showers over the weekend.