Sir David Attenborough has urged gardeners to leave part of their lawn unmowed this summer, saying the simplest change in a back garden can help wildlife that is often hidden in plain sight. The broadcaster, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, framed the advice as a practical way to make outdoor spaces work harder for insects, birds and hedgehogs.
The message arrives now because summer is the season when many people start tidying their gardens and cutting grass short. Attenborough, whose One programme David Attenborough's Secret Garden is helping carry the appeal, has long described gardens as “magical places” that are “almost as diverse as a tropical rainforest,” and he has warned that “Many of us are completely unaware of the wild world right under our noses.”
British gardens can act as temporary habitat for bumblebees, honeybees, wasps, drone flies, ladybirds and beetles, while also offering sanctuary to hedgehogs in urban and rural areas, resting places for birds and a home for numerous other creatures. Letting grass grow slightly taller can create cover for ground-nesting insects, and taller grass also holds moisture better. Even dandelions matter if they are left in place long enough, because they can feed emerging spring insects.
The advice cuts against a habit many gardeners know well: the urge to keep lawns neat and short. But Attenborough and the RSPB are arguing that the wilder look is the point. The conservation group says mowing less saves time and makes a big difference to wildlife, creating a mini jungle where beetles and other small creatures can wander and where sparrows and goldfinches can feed on the seeds.
The RSPB also says avoiding strimmers can help prevent injuries to hedgehogs, frogs and insect larvae, and it advises resisting the mower until late summer so the grass can mimic the hay meadows of old. What remains unclear is how much lawn gardeners should leave untouched to get the biggest benefit, but the direction is simple enough: one trimmed edge is less important than one corner left to grow.
