No Mow May: Why grass might be left to grow longer this month

Do you know the difference between a weed and a wildflower?

Well, a weed is simply a plant that is growing somewhere it is not wanted by humans. So, the difference between a weed and a wildflower is just down to the opinion of whoever is in charge of where they are growing!

There are lots of different reasons why people might not want weeds in their gardens, from them taking light and nutrients from other plants or because they think they look untidy.

But, the conservation charity Plantlife is asking people to have another think about what they consider to be a weed and let their gardens grow, to help wildlife.

The charity asked 2,000 people about their gardening habits through a poll.

More than half of those said they thought of dandelions and thistles as weeds and around one in five thought of buttercups and daisies as weeds.

According to the poll, lots of people wanted to remove what they consider to be weeds because they felt they spread too quickly, are unattractive, are signs of a neglected garden and compete with flowers and grass for space and nutrients.

But there were some people who saw the value in weeds, with one in five seeing them as a source of pollen and nectar for pollinators - and that's one of the things the charity wants to highlight.

Plantlife is encouraging people to not cut their grass for a month as part of its 'No Mow May' campaign to help boost flowers and wildlife.

It says longer grass can help species like burnet moths, nursery web spiders and grasshoppers.

Nicola Hutchinson, the director of conservation at Plantlife, said: "It's time to rethink wildflowers - they aren't weeds, they are unsung heroes of the natural world".

Don't worry if you haven't got a garden, the charity says people can still get involved by transforming yards or balconies into a "mini haven" for plants and pollinators.