No Mow May campaign sparks pollinator‑friendly gardening advice

The annual No Mow May initiative urges people to skip mowing their lawns for a month to help pollinators such as bees. Experts suggest a range of sustainable practices, from planting permanent wildflower meadows and native‑plant gardens to xeriscaping, building bee hotels, and reducing pesticide use. Additional weed‑control tips include mulching with compost or bark, using cardboard sheets under mulch, and hand‑pulling invasive weeds with tools like Dutch hoes. Advice comes from Randy Bilesky of Go Green Pest Control, Julian Palphram of British Garden Centres, botanist Tim Clapp of Verve, and horticulturalist Richard Barker of LBS Horticulture.

These recommendations aim to balance the desire for tidy gardens with the need to provide nectar and pollen sources for pollinators, while also improving soil health and reducing chemical inputs.