Dandelions are often dismissed as a weed, but they’re actually unsung heroes of the garden – there are plenty of benefits of keeping dandelions in your lawn in May, if you’re looking to lend wildlife a helping hand.
If you’re wondering if you should leave dandelions in your lawn, the answer, this month, is a resounding yes. As it’s No Mow May, I thought I’d take a closer look at the advantages of leaving the underrated weed in your garden. It’s one of those weeds you should leave in your lawn, especially if you’re taking part in the Plantlife campaign this month.
No Mow May kit
Johnsons Lawn Seed
Nature’s Lawn Grass and Wildflower Seed
This lawn seed mix contains slow-growing grasses and mowable native wildflowers. It’s perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden.
Pretty Wild Seeds
Dandelion Wildflower Seeds
If you’re keen to add even more dandelions to your lawn, you can sow them like you would any other wildflower.
Unwins
Wildflowers ‘The Pollinator Seed Blend’
No Mow May is the perfect excuse to sow more wildflowers in your garden, and this 1.2kg box provides plenty to go around.
1. Bees love them
The most obvious benefit of keeping dandelions in your lawn is the fact that bees absolutely adore them for their nectar. There are lots of other plants that bees love, sure, but dandelions are the low-effort way to keep them happy – and they’re even more crucial at this time of the year.
‘We really need to stop treating dandelions like the enemy, especially in May,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres. ‘They are the first real source of food for bees coming out of winter; if you mow them all down, you’re essentially taking away their nectar and summer food.
If you’re keen to go all out and turn your lawn into a haven for pollinators, Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Nature’s Lawn, which you can buy at Crocus, includes slow-growing grasses and native mow-tolerant wildflowers. It’s perfect for tiding your garden over to the end of No Mow May (and beyond!).
2. They’re important to other wildlife, too
Bees aren’t the only insects that love dandelions – other pollinators like butterflies benefit from them, too, so they’re a crucial part of our garden ecosystems. Even birds like goldfinches enjoy snacking on the seedheads.
‘Dandelions can actually play a really valuable role in supporting garden wildlife, particularly early in the season when other food sources for pollinators are still scarce,’ explains Guy Jenkins, consumer manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed, the UK’s oldest lawn seed brand.
‘Their bright yellow flowers provide an important source of nectar and pollen for bees and other insects emerging after winter, as well as the many birds that visit our gardens.’
3. They can improve lawn health
If you’re wondering if your lawn is compacted, dandelions could be the silent rescuers your garden needs.
‘Beyond the bees, those long roots are actually doing you a favour by breaking up hard, compacted soil and bringing nutrients up to the surface,’ explains Julian.
‘They’re like a natural aerator for your lawn, and because they root so deeply, they stay green when the grass starts to turn brown in the sun. This helps keep your soil from drying out completely.’
If you suspect that your lawn is compacted, it’s wise to learn how to aerate your lawn and invest in a tool like Spear & Jackson Lawn Spike Aerator from Amazon – but dandelions are certainly a handy companion.
4. They pair well with other wildflowers
Whether you’ve planted shade-loving wildflowers for a cottage garden look or classic favourites like cornflowers this year, dandelions pair really well with naturalistic planting schemes.
‘Dandelions sit nicely alongside other wildflowers to give a garden a vibrant and whimsical style,’ says Chris McIlroy, grass expert at The Grass People.
‘Sowing a 100% wildflower mix with UK native cornfield annuals is a good idea for introducing a pop of colour, and the mix won’t need particularly good soil for the wildflowers to thrive.’
So, if you haven’t sown wildflower seeds already and want to make your lawn as beautiful as it is wildlife-friendly, it’s worth throwing some down this May. This Wildflowers ‘Ultimate Mix’ Seed Scatter Pack from Thompson & Morgan is perfect for attracting bees and butterflies to your garden.
There are plenty of reasons why you should keep clover in your lawn for No Mow May, too.
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