It has been exciting to be part of the PlantLife nature activity 'No Mow May'.
Throughout the month of May, people have been letting their lawns grow to help nature. We get to see beautiful wildflowers grow on our lawns when we allow our lawns to grow, and we also help wildlife by doing so, including - frogs, birds, bees, butterflies, ladybirds, caterpillars, flying insects, and more.
No Mow May is also helping change people's perceptions about 'weeds'.
No Mow May helps change our perceptions about what we call 'weeds' because it helps us to see 'weeds' as wildflowers.
All 'weeds' are wildflowers. Or, another way of looking at it is thinking of 'weeds' as an unloved and unappreciated wildflower.
Instead of thinking of them as 'weeds', we should instead see them as the wildflowers they are: they are wildflowers that are beautiful and necessary for wildlife.
No Mow May shows us that if we give it a chance, wildlife and the natural world can bounce back and recover quickly. If we give nature space in our gardens and society, then it can recover and bounce back - the lawns that line streets and roads should be used as places where wildflowers can grow, as it would make them look more beautiful and will provide spaces for insects to thrive.
One of the best and most peaceful activities to do during the summer is to spend time walking through a meadow - the beautiful colours of the flowers, the sounds of crickets and birds, and seeing wonderful insects like damselflies, are all great experiences you get from walking through a meadow during the summer.
Sadly, the UK has lost the vast majority of its wildflower meadows now, with 97% of the UK's wildflower meadows now lost since the 1930s.
But, we can create a brighter and better future, a future where we rewild and give space to the natural world and wildlife - we need to rewild and bring back our meadows, one way that we can do this is by creating mini-meadows in our gardens like No Mow May helps to encourage.
With a decline in insects, birds and amphibians, No Mow May can helps inspire us to create wildlife-friendly gardens to help animals and nature.
No Mow May teaches us that we have the power to create positive change for wildlife in our own gardens, it teaches us that nature can recover quickly, if we let it, and, it also teaches us the beauty and abundance of nature on our doorsteps when we allow nature and wildlife to thrive and survive. And lastly, No Mow May teaches us that there is no such thing as 'weeds, for they are wildflowers that look beautiful and brighten up our gardens when we let them shine through.
You can record your No Mow May results following the Tweet below!
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