Conservationists urge people in Somerset to ditch the lawnmowers
They're asking keen gardeners to go a month without mowing the lawn
Almost half of gardeners do not plan to mow their lawn more than once in May, a survey suggests, as an annual campaign to boost nature in gardens kicks off.
Plantlife's "No Mow May" campaign urges people to leave the mower in the shed for the month to allow wilder lawns with wildflowers to flourish, helping support bees, butterflies and other wildlife.
The polling for Plantlife showed that people understand the importance of wilder lawns for nature, with nearly three-quarters (73%) believing that leaving lawns unmown for a month or more helps butterflies, bees and other wildlife.
Ian Dunn, chief executive of Plantlife, said: "Support for Plantlife's campaign is blossoming beautifully as people recognise the benefits to plants, people, pollinators and planet of mowing less and later for nature.
"The small act of giving the mower a month off, and then mowing less through the summer, can make a big difference at a time when we face interlinked climate and biodiversity emergencies."
Plantlife says there could be a significant impact from providing wilder grass habitat - even if it is just a small patch of lawn - across millions of gardens in the UK.
Around 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost in less than a century, with once widespread plants such as ragged Robin and field scabious now on the near threatened list in England, the conservation organisation warns.
Sarah Shuttleworth lives in North Curry and is the senior ecological advisor at Plantlife.
"No Mow May matters massively because leaving lawns to just let it be in May allows a wonderful array of wild plants to flower and flourish," she said.
"This floral diversity provided by more relaxed mowing regimes provides a rich food source for a wealth of wildlife through the summer."
Wildflowers on a lawn can provide food for bees and other insects.
After No Mow May, Plantlife recommends less frequent mowing through the summer.
It also encourages gardeners to avoid herbicides, fertilisers and moss killer as all can be detrimental to wild plants in the lawn, allow plants time to set seed before mowing, and remove grass cuttings following mowing to prevent nutrient build-up on the grass.
Providing a mix of habitats also helps wildlife, with shorter lawns with clover in providing food for bumblebees, while longer grasses are an essential resource for certain species of butterflies and moths, Plantlife said.
Plantlife said a mixture of shorter grass and taller more structural areas will boost flower diversity and support other garden wildlife.
Mowing twice a year will maintain a meadow and mowing every four to six weeks will create a shorter reflowering lawn where plants such as bugle, selfheal, red clover and lady's bedstraw can thrive, the charity said.
No Mow May comes after research by another wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation found leaving a patch of grass in the garden to grow long boosted butterfly numbers, particularly in towns or areas of intensive agriculture.