No Mow May

Not a chance with my hubby. He has agreed to lift the blades a bit. Considering Victoria is a wildlife conservationist this is one area we can't get him to agree on. His argument being I have lots of native plants in the borders and he is ok with low growing flowers in the grass, but not long grass. I do have native orchids but they are now in pots.

Lets hope the Govt goes ahead with cutting council tax for those properties with a good proportion of grass. We would certainly qualify.

My OH and I have some quite lively disagreements about the garden, too, Sbg. I have spent years trying to persuade him to agree to a pond. Negative response with no real reason given. Then this spring we bought a little pre-formed pond. Maybe he was tired of my nagging ;-) It still has to go in the garden, though. It may just be a cunning delaying tactic!
I think from what I've read and seen of your garden you already take wildlife well into consideration already. 'N.M.M.' will be good if it encourages more people to think a little more about how to share our space with the wildlife of the country. I'm thrilled to see the hedgehogs returning to ours. This was helped by raising the bottom of a newly installed wooden gate last year. Such a little thing but so helpful.

I’m already with you Ange. OH didn’t like my idea, but I persuaded him a month or so ago to leave a small patch of grass unmown. It is separate from the main lawn. I tried to scarify it but not really strongly enough, and planted origanum grown from seed and Erigeron. It looks a dreadful mess! But given some warmth, maybe we’ll see some flowers. Btw I scattered some yellow rattle seed …

Good to hear, Sheila. I've enjoyed the daisies and dandelions so far but expect it to be full of clover soon. After the moles blasted part of it the 'lawn' can't look much worse... I hope the yellow rattle works. Keep us posted.

We are going to stop mowing the grass alongside a border and path, it's only about two mower widths, also the back part of the lawn for May. Already there are Dandelions, but I'm already think when they become 'clocks' of seed I'm going to have to remove them!

I take your point, Shirley.

Ange, the grass was cut a week ago and OH noticed some little Forget-me-nots popping through, that's a first! Today I have taken a photo of that area, it will not be mown until June so I shall take a weekly photo just to see what appears. Btw, one Dandelion clock was carefully removed and binned ... :o)

I've been watching the bee flies on the cowslips this morning when I should have been weeding the borders, Shirley. Amazing what you see if you take time to look!

Ange, I sat in the sun house for an hour after lunch and simply enjoyed the sounds of the birds, saw a Red Admiral butterfly land on a Choisya and a large Bumblebee on a Honeysuckle. Just lovely ... :o)

Exactly, Shirley. Very therapeutic..

Sorry but I’ll continue to mow There are plenty of other plants in my garden to cater for all the wildlife

I've looked at your photos, Helen, you have a beautiful garden.

I have no grass , but have long ornamental grasses at the back

Well, my OH keeps pointing out the 'mess' to me, Paul, but I am resisting the temptation to call out the lawnmower! I hope your grasses aren't drowned...

We could not bear to look at the long grass any longer ... OH mowed it this morning! Not sure if letting it grow was beneficial to any insects at all.

No, Shirley, I can't say I've seen much either! A great dearth of bees and butterflies in all of the garden here.

Ange, we sat in the sun house for an hour after lunch and saw more birds pecking at the mown grass than we have ever seen before!

You probably upset the ants!

More than likely, as there are so many ants around this year ... :o(