“Give Dandelions a Chance!” – Public Urged to Rethink Wildflowers, as Plantlife Launches No Mow May - Plantlife

Conservation charity calls on the UK to pause the mow, give power to the flowers and bring nature closer to home for #NoMowMay 

As Plantlife kicks off its annual No Mow May campaign, new survey data on peoples’ attitudes towards garden plants reveals that many still regard wildflowers as weeds – overlooking their benefits for wildlife and biodiversity. 

Dandelions remain the most unpopular garden flower, with over half of UK adults (56%) considering them weeds. 

However, Generation Z show a more appreciative stance; over 90% of 16–24-year-olds recognise daisies and buttercups as wildflowers, not weeds, and one in six believe they can add to a garden’s charm—a promising sign of growing nature connection.

Nicola Hutchinson, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Conservation, Plantlife, said: “It’s time to rethink wildflowers – they aren’t weeds, they are unsung heroes of the natural world. Key to garden ecosystems, wildflowers support pollinators, insects and even birds, playing an important role in the food chains for wildlife. With over 23 million gardens in the UK, using No Mow May as the starting point for relaxing mowing through the whole summer - can deliver big wins for plants, pollinators, people and the planet.”

Around a third of the UK mow their lawn twice a month during May - the same time many flowers are starting to bloom. No Mow May, Plantlife’s nationwide campaign, urges people in cities, towns and the countryside to ditch the mow – starting in May and continuing into the summer – to support nature.

The campaign, now in its seventh year, shows how accommodating different aesthetic tastes by creating different zones - functional short turf, framed and flanked by meadow features like perennial herbaceous borders or flowering lawn - can provide a pollinator banquet through spring and summer and bring nature closer to home.