No Mow May

Following on from last year’s success, we’re once again taking part in PlantLife’s campaign ‘No Mow May’ to support biodiversity in Westminster.

During the month of May, some of our parks, greenspaces and our housing estates will not be mowed for an entire month, providing a space for nature to thrive in Spring.

A healthy lawn with some long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife. The wildflowers provide a vital food source for bees and butterflies. With their numbers in decline, they need all the help they can get.

Join us in May by locking up your lawnmowers and let the wildflowers in your lawn bloom.

Why are we doing this

Since the 1930s the UK has lost more than 97 per cent of its wildflower meadows which are vital for food pollinators like butterflies and bees.

By not mowing grass on our housing estates and a selection of parks during May, the council will allow plant life to grow during this crucial period to feed pollinators throughout the summer months.

Westminster Green spaces

Despite Westminster’s location at the heart of London, the city boasts diverse wildlife and a wealth of open spaces. Around 25 per cent of Westminster is made up of parks and green spaces and the city has 33 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). There are over 600 different kinds of flora and fauna recorded in Westminster.

St John’s Wood Church Gardens even has a formal designation as a Local Nature Reserve under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949.

A balance between recreation and nature

We recognise that our parks serve as gardens, football pitches and picnic spots, for the people who visit and live near them. We are being careful to leave space for people to enjoy our parks, by creating a balance between park users needs and doing what we can to create more space for wildlife, biodiversity and nature to bloom.

The parks and greenspaces taking part in ‘No Mow May’ this year include:

• Sussex Gardens
• Westbourne Green Open Space
• Paddington Green
• St Johns Wood Church Gardens (selected areas)
• Paddington Recreation Ground
• Ministry of Defence (MOD) Section by wall
• St Georges Square (selected area)
• Berkeley Square
• Victoria Tower Gardens

All our housing estates are participating this year.

If you have a garden or community greenspace and would like to also participate in No Mow May, visit the Plantlife website.