Become a wildlife haven
- Category: Residential
- Date: 05-09-2017
A well-left lawn encourages a more diverse root structure. Different plants have different types of roots. Grasses, for example, have thin roots that form a dense mat, plants like dandelions and plantago have tap roots (like a skinny carrot), and legumes like clover have wide roots that form channels in the soil.
A more complex root structure encourages water infiltration, helping our gardens manage large deluges of rain. This can prevent runoff from our properties, potentially reducing localised flooding.
Our unruly, rain-soaked refuges not only hold water when there is too much. But they also preserve it when there isn’t enough.
During droughts and heatwaves – which are becoming a more common feature of Europe’s summer season – longer lawns will capture more dew and direct it down towards the roots. This not only keeps water where it’s needed but also maintains the soil’s coolness, benefiting animals like worms that live beneath the surface. Cutting grass during droughts and heatwaves can exacerbate stress for the plants, adding to their misery during such conditions.
So an excellent way to avoid a brown, parched patch is to be slack. Mow it towards the end of summer and bask in your climate-friendly gardening success. And remember, the concept of laid-back gardening isn’t just for summer; it’s equally important during autumn and winter too.
Another excellent way to keep soil covered and add variety to your little patch is by planting a meadow – or rather an unruly lawn with the addition of a few wildflower species.
Many people have dipped their toe into the lazy gardener’s life through “no mow May” – a national campaign to encourage people not to mow their lawns until the end of May. But you could opt to extend this practice until much later in the summer for even greater benefits.
Allowing your grass to grow longer, and interspersing it with pollen-rich flowers, can benefit many insects – especially bees. Research finds that reducing mowing in urban and suburban environments has a positive effect on the amount and diversity of insects.
Your untamed lawn won’t only benefit insects. It will also encourage more birds, such as goldfinches, to use your garden to feed on the seeds of common wildflower species such as dandelions.