Take action for nature – by doing nothing
TAKE action for nature by doing nothing at all! Sounds good to us, as well as to the bees, butterflies and local wildlife who’ll benefit.
Leave your lawn mowers in the shed throughout May and allow nature to do its thing by supporting Plantlife’s #NoMowMay campaign – it’s got our backing!
Some people are lucky enough to see the beauty of wildflowers unfold before their very eyes, as a hidden seed bank comes to life, giving power to the pollinators! Other people see a variety of grasses appear, which provides a fantastic habitat space for wildlife to hide, live and feed in.
There are powerful benefits of having a wild area in your garden, in May and beyond:
» Increase the quality of your soil, the health of your plants & reduce pests
» Allow your pollinators to flourish and see new flowers pop up
» Help out bees, beetles, butterflies, moths, wasps, flies and more
» Provide more food and shelter for bats, birds, hedgehogs and many more
Mini meadows at home
If you’d like a little help to boost the number of wildflowers in your lawn, you could create a mini meadow. This brings extra benefits to wildlife and also to you:
» Mini meadows are beautiful! They’re much more interesting and full of life compared to a plain grass lawn
» Low maintenance lawns! Once planted in, just one cut per year
» Habitat and food for numerous bugs, bees, butterflies, hoverflies, beetles, moths
» These bugs feed more wildlife, including birds, bats and hedgehogs
» Pollinators pollinate the wildflowers, which self-seed to help spread
Do your bit for local wildlife, connecting green spaces
A mini meadow is quite labour intensive at the start, taking an adult a morning or an afternoon to prepare and plant the area. Once the mini meadow is growing you only need to cut it once per year, with no other maintenance required. Just to admire the beauty and wildlife!
Wildflower pots
You don’t have to have a garden to create a mini meadow. Pots, containers, window boxes, patios and balconies are all important spaces for pollinators and potential green corridor links. Vertical gardening is also a good way to maximise space.
Here are some suggested wildflower pots from Grow Wilder:
» Plant pot: oxeye daisy, common knapweed, bird’s-foot trefoil
» Window box: small scabious, bird’s-foot trefoil, common toadflax
» Plant pot: wild marjoram, yarrow, salad burnet
» Container: a mix of any of these listed above
Your actions for nature
The total area of gardens in the UK is greater than the total area of reserves. Changing the way we look after our gardens collectively makes a difference.
Get more inspiration and advice about local mini meadows on the Team Wilder pages. Team Wilder is a new approach from Avon Wildlife Trust that celebrates and supports small and large actions for nature. Let us know if you’re taking part in No Mow May, have a wild patch or would like to share your experiences of creating a mini meadow.
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