WHILE the lockdown wears on, many are finding solace in nature as plants and wildlife reawaken following the winter chill.

Now Scots are being urged to leave their lawns uncut throughout May to boost the bees and flowers that thrive within the nation’s grasses. 

Plantlife, the conservation charity, said gardeners the length and breadth of the UK could reap spectacular benefits from putting their lawnmowers back in the shed for a month.

It said research undertaken by citizen scientists has revealed not only the astonishing diversity of wild flowers growing on Britain’s lawns, but also that “incredibly simple changes in mowing can result in enough nectar for 10 times more bees and other pollinators”.

Dr Trevor Dines, Plantlife’s botanical specialist, said the “sheer quantity of flowers and nectar production on lawns mown once a month can be astonishing”. 

He said: “We’ve discovered that plants like daisy, white clover and bird’s-foot trefoil are superbly adapted to growing in shorter swards. 

“These short-grass, ‘mower-ducking’ plants stay low down with stems well out of the way of the mower blades, but continually produce large numbers of flowers every few weeks. 

“If these flowers are cut off by mowing, it just stimulates the plants to produce yet more flowers, boosting nectar production. 

“In contrast, tall-grass species like oxeye daisy, red clover, field scabious and knapweed grow upright and take longer to reach flowering size. 

“They can’t cope with being cut off regularly, so only bloom in grass that’s not been mown for several months or more. 

“Our results show these unmown long-grass areas are home to a greater range of wild flower species, complimenting the narrower range found in short-grass areas.”

Plantlife’s Every Flower Counts project is an annual “citizen science survey” that aims to quantify the number of flowers on UK lawns and the amount of nectar sugar they are producing, and therefore how many pollinators they can support. 

Last year, the area of lawns included the survey totalled 66.5 hectares (164 acres), equivalent to 92 football pitches.

The charity said more than 200 species were found flowering on lawns, including rarities such as meadow saxifrage, knotted clover and eyebright. 

For the first time ever, Plantlife’s survey also quantified the amount of nectar sugar being produced in our gardens. 

This National Nectar Score shows that in 2019 the average lawn produced 12 grams of nectar sugar per day, enough to support 1,088 honey bees. 

When all the lawns in the survey were combined, they were producing 23kg of nectar sugar per day.

That’s enough to support 2.1 million honey bees – or around 60,000 hives.

Plantlife said the largest quantity of flowers and nectar were on lawns cut every four weeks, whilst longer, unmown grass had a wider range of flowers.

It found that 80 per cent of lawns supported the equivalent of around 400 bees a day from the nectar sugar produced by flowers such as dandelion, white clover and selfheal. 

However 20% of lawns were found to be supporting 10 times as many – up to 4,000 bees a day.

Dr Dines said: “In any garden, big or small, we’d now advise keeping two lengths of grass. Leave some patches completely unmown to let taller flowers come into bloom. 

“For the rest of the lawn, you can keep the grass shorter by mowing once every month to a height of one or two inches. 

“You’ll cut off some flowers when you do mow but they’ll come back quickly; you can even rotate patches around your garden so there are always some areas in flower. 

“For flowers, bees and butterflies there is one lawn ‘haircut’ that really suits: the mohican. 

“Most should be given a monthly cut to boost short sward plants but there should also ideally be an area set aside for longer grass where floral diversity abounds.”

He said the nectar produced by flowers is available to “a huge range of pollinating insects – from flies and beetles to butterflies and bumblebees”. 

He added: “With a third of wild bees and hoverflies in decline, Every Flower Counts shows the vital difference everyone with a lawn can make supporting these pollinators by cutting back on the mowing. 

“Between 1980 and 2013, every square kilometre in the UK lost an average of 11 species of bee and hoverfly, so the dense patchwork of lawns provided by British gardens really can throw our pollinators a lifeline. We just have to let the flowers bloom.”

Ian Dunn, Plantlife’s CEO, also encouraged gardeners to park their mowers. 

He said: “With Covid-19 restrictions in place, many people are finding some solace in their gardens, observing up close like never before wild flowers and the wildlife they attract. 

“After a mild winter, spring has been superb for flowers like dandelions and daisies and, as tempting as it might be to get the mower out while on lockdown, these results highlight in bold the botanical jewels that reward patience. 

“Parking the mower can be the best decision people can make this May as Every Flower Counts at the end of the month will show.”

To take part in Plantlife’s Every Flower Counts survey, gardeners simply have to leave their mowers in the shed for the duration of May.

From May 23 to 31, they can then count the number of flowers in a random square metre of their lawns – before sending the information off to the charity. 

In turn, gardeners will receive their own Personal Nectar Score, showing how much nectar is being produced by the flowers on their lawns and how many bees it can support.

Last month, Plantlife predicated a boost in the number of wild flowers this summer due to councils cutting back on grass cutting and outdoor maintenance during the coronavirus crisis.

The charity has long been trying to persuade councils to cut back on grass trimming to encourage the health and diversity of wild plants.

It said more than 700 species of wild flower grow on verges, nearly 45% of the UK’s total flora.

Councils across the UK have suspended or reduced grass cutting as they seek to focus resources elsewhere.

To take part in Every Flower Counts please visit www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/