The History of Lawns: Status Symbols, Class Systems and Changing Beauty Standards
Join our Specialist Botanical Advisor, Sarah Shuttleworth, for a deep dive into the history of lawns – from how they started to what they represented.
Whether you consider your lawn as a green carpet or a flowering, woven web ecosystem, have you ever considered where the start of the grass mowing habit first began?
Grasslands have almost exclusively been the product of land management by men and women for the purposes of grazing livestock or producing fodder for animals during the winter. This has been practised for thousands of years in the UK and as a result our grassland wildlife has become diverse and in some cases highly adapted.
The act of managing these vast areas of grassland was done by farmers, labourers etc through animal husbandry and hay cutting. It’s important to remember that without cutting or grazing grasslands soon start to scrub over with thorny bushes, then trees and lose the majority of their botanical interest and diversity.
Lawns actually came about during the 18th century as a way of proving to your neighbours that you had the wealth and resources to have land that was not managed for farming but managed for exclusively for recreation and to be aesthetically pleasing.
To keep this grass short and neat required the tireless effort of hired staff to scythe regularly and rake off the cuttings. If you could have someone design your land and gardens that included areas to be managed in such a way, you had truly made it.
By the time the technology to create automotive cutting devices (aka mowers) was available in the 19th century then owning lawns and cutting them really took off as more people aspired to garden like the elite.
The neat and tidy lawns even stretched to far flung areas of the world via the march of the British Empire and with it the desire to create flat green stages for sports such as cricket and football.
During the 19th and 20th centuries this neat and tidy green carpet aesthetic dominated with lawn care becoming a big business. Activities involving fertilising, herbiciding, moss-killing, scarification and aeration were enough to keep anyone busy as a bee on just the lawn, not to mention all the weeding in the herbaceous borders!
As households have become more time-poor and our understanding of climate change and the biodiversity crisis is growing, gardening has been much more a mix of time saving and providing a haven for wildlife. Sometimes sadly one is exclusive of the other with tarmacking over front gardens for driveways or the dreaded laying of fake turf, all for the sake of convenience. Thankfully although the need for parking our family fleet of vehicles is likely to persist the desire for the false economy of artificial lawns is possibly waning. Overall consumer sales and installation enquiries have dropped dramatically as environmental and flooding concerns have come to the forefront.
Although the shift might seem minimal or very gradual, since Plantlife began our No Mow May Campaign, the changes in attitudes and behaviours are noticeable. Relaxing our mowing schedules and embracing our wilder gardens is welcomed by an increasing portion of British society, and the shift from immaculate turf installations to immersive wildlife experiences on your doorstep is simply heart-warming.
1700s
Influential landscape designers, including Lanecelot ‘Capability’ Brown are part of the beginning of the traditional English Landscape garden aesthetic. Features such as vast sweeping lawns and parkland tree planting are key aspects to these designs.
1830
Patents for the first lawn mower, enabling the crisp, flat greens of aristocracy to be more readily available to the average home.
1963
The enviable lawn stripes become even easier to obtain thanks to the development of the Flymo mower, allowing a less labour intensive technique to the weekly mow!
2018
Plantlife see an opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of our species-rich grasslands in the wider countryside by encouraging a change in management of our greenspaces by local authorities. A casually used turn of phrase ‘no mow may’ becomes the go to hashtag to punctuate this activity.
2026
No Mow May in its 8th year has become a household name, used to describe a more sensitive way to look after lawns and greenspaces with wildlife as a feature as much as a play or picnic spot. No Mow Movement is gathering momentum and understanding as we embark on creating a shift in attitudes away from making stripes and clean edges to more of a No Mow MAYke a Meadow!
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Invasive Species: Why is Rhododendron a Problem?
Rhododendron ponticum might just look like a pretty pink flower you can spot in a garden or on a walk, but there’s so much more to the story. Did you know it’s an invasive non-native species destroying native wildlife and our temperate rainforests? Our Rainforest Advocacy Officer Erin Shott explains.
Imagine, it’s summertime and you’re enjoying a lovely afternoon walk, and you see this pretty pink Rhododendron flower everywhere, a stunning look across the landscape. Unfortunately, what you are seeing is an invasive non-native species known as Rhododendron ponticum.
First introduced to the UK in 1763 as an ornamental shrub, this plant, like many Victorian garden escapees spread across the UK until it could be found in just about every corner. There are many types of rhododendrons which are not invasive, but the ponticum variety is a particular problem.
Why is Rhododendron a Problem?
The invasive Rhododendron ponticum is known for dominating the landscape, supressing the growth of young native trees and shading out internationally rare plant and lichen species. It also disconnects native woodlands from one another. It’s this characteristic that makes it a major threat to temperate rainforest and other native woodland habitats.
Once it’s established in the wild, removal of the plants is possible but not easy. Repeated rounds of control are necessary, taking anywhere from 3 to 5 years and costing huge amounts of money. In fact, £3.39 million was spent on Rhododendron ponticum control between 2015 and 2022 in England.
Rhododendron ponticum is a significant threat to the UK’s rainforest. As 1% of habitat, temperate rainforest is considered one of the rarest habitats globally. High rainfall and humidity along the UK’s west coast create perfect conditions for the greatest concentration of oceanic lichens and mosses in Europe.
But rainforests face a number of threats and challenges, including climate change, air pollution, inappropriate grazing (either too much or too little) and Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) leading to a highly fragmented landscape in need of care and restoration.
We are dedicated to restoring the UK’s temperate rainforest. We are currently working with partners in removing this invasive species and restoring the environment, including through the Rainforest Restoration Project in Cumbria, the South West Rainforest Alliance, the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest and the Alliance for Wales’ Rainforests.
How is Rhododendron a Threat to UK Rainforests?
Every rainforest across the UK is threatened by INNS, specifically Rhododendron ponticum. In fact, every State of Rainforest Report published to date has listed Rhododendron ponticum as a major issue for the rainforest. The State of Scotland’s Rainforest report says that invasive Rhododendron ponticum is found in 40% of core rainforest sites. Similarly, the State of Wales’ Rainforests report released in 2023 also highlights the issue, calling it a significant threat to rainforest with 66% of sites requiring intervention on INNS.
The most recently published State of Temperate Rainforest in South West England report notes Rhododendron ponticum as the most widely problematic INNS in rainforest, found in 20% of lowland temperate rainforest sites.
What Can be Done?
Despite how widespread the issue is, there are still steps that can be taken to reverse impacts of invasive Rhododendron ponticum. The good news is that we can take action to reduce this threat:
- Invasive Non-Native Species such as Rhododendron ponticum need to be addressed at landscape or catchment scale rather than by individual estates or landowners. Long-term funding is needed for landscape scale projects to remove Rhododendron ponticum by involving multiple landowners and carrying out multiple rounds of control over a number of years.
- A coordinated National Strategy to manage Rhododendron ponticum needs to be developed by governments, linked to the Great Britian Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy but specific to this species.
- The use and sale of Rhododendron ponticum in gardening and horticulture should be phased out through collaboration between governments and the horticultural industry, to help prevent further spread of the species into the wild.
- Powers of enforcement also need to be more widely known and used where appropriate. Increasing the support and capacity of the INNS Inspectorate would go a long way towards tackling already established INNS like Rhododendron ponticum.
How Has Rhododendron Spread and Become a Problem?
The specific genetics surrounding Rhododendron ponticum are complex; after its introduction, it cross bred with 2 species from north America. This means that not all invasive Rhododendron is the same, some are a hybrid (a cross between the two species) and some are not.
At the moment invasive Rhododendron ponticum and any of its hybrids are listed as a Schedule 9 (Part II) species in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Section 14 of the Act ‘makes it an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow in the wild any plant listed in Part II of Schedule 9 to the Act’.
What Can You do to Help?
- Due to its destructive nature, if a garden centre near you is selling Rhododendron ponticum, we encourage you to reach instead for a non-invasive rhododendron or a native shrub for your gardens this summer.
- Please do also share this information for Invasive Species Week (22-28 June) and help us stop Rhododendron ponticum destroying more native wildlife.
- Or why not volunteer at the many charities working on Rhododendron removal from rare habitats.
The post Invasive Species: Why is Rhododendron a Problem? appeared first on Plantlife.
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Frogs and Amphibians in Your Garden – How No Mow May Can Help
We know that No Mow May benefits biodiversity including our pollinators – but did you know that not mowing can also be a huge benefit to amphibians like frogs?
Here, Froglife joins us to give their top No Mow May top tips and insights, including how not mowing can help, what species to spot and where you might find them.
No Mow May encourages people to let grass grow and wildflowers bloom during May and beyond.
While best known for helping pollinators, it also creates important habitats for amphibians such as frogs, toads and newts, as well as reptiles like slow worms and grass snakes.
Why is No Mow May Good for Reptiles and Amphibians?
Amphibians depend on damp environments because their skin dries out easily. Short, regularly mown lawns can become hot and dry, making them unsuitable. Allowing grass to grow helps retain moisture and creates cooler, shaded conditions.
Longer grass also provides:
- Shelter from predators
- Higher humidity
- Cooler microclimates
- More invertebrates for food
This makes gardens and green spaces safer places for reptiles and amphibians to feed, rest and move through.
What Species of Amphibians Benefit from the No Mow Movement?
Common species that benefit include:
- Common frog
- Common toad
- Smooth newt
- Palmate newt
You may even be lucky enough to see great crested newts!
Reptiles such as slow worms and grass snakes may also use longer grass for cover, hunting and temperature regulation.
Where to See Amphibians Including Frogs?
Amphibians often breed in ponds, but, like reptiles, they spend much of their lives on land. Both species can be found in:
- Gardens
- under logs, leaf piles or shrubs
- Parks, allotments and community green spaces
People without gardens can still support wildlife by encouraging less mowing in shared spaces or supporting local initiatives.
How Does the No Mow Movement Boost Biodiversity?
No Mow May and the wider Movement benefits whole ecosystems. Longer grass and wildflowers increase insect numbers, providing food for reptiles, amphibians, and other wildlife.
Healthier habitats also support pollinators, improve soil quality and create more balanced food webs. Reptiles and amphibians are good indicators of environmental health, so supporting them benefits a wide range of species.
Why Go Beyond No Mow May?
Extending No Mow May into summer and beyond brings even greater benefits.
Different stages of amphibian and reptile life cycles depend on longer vegetation:
- Spring: amphibians and reptiles breed and migrate
- Summer: young amphibians and reptiles disperse to wider habitats and need cover
- Autumn: reptiles and amphibians prepare for hibernation
- Winter: undisturbed areas provide shelter
Maintaining a mix of habitats, long grass, shorter paths, and features like log piles, supports more wildlife than a neatly mown lawn.
No Mow May is a simple way to make gardens and shared spaces more wildlife-friendly. Continuing these practices beyond May helps create connected habitats across urban and rural areas.
Even small changes can make a difference, helping frogs, toads, newts snakes and lizards survive and thrive alongside people.
Make the No Mow May Pledge
Plantlife’s No Mow Movement is here – let’s let it grow for nature! Pledge to take part today and get a FREE No Mow May guide.
It’s one of the easiest ways to connect with wildlife and the perfect way to start supporting nature in your garden (in May and beyond!).
More on the No Mow Movement
The post Frogs and Other Amphibians in Your Garden – How No Mow May Can Help appeared first on Plantlife.
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Emergency Pioneering Translocation to Save Rare Moss
We have led what is considered to be the first recorded translocation of an epiphytic moss in Scotland to help save the species.
Aspen Bristle-moss was once thought extinct, and although it was rediscovered at a few sites in Scotland in the early 2000s, it is still very rare.
So when a tree that was holding the largest population of Aspen Bristle-moss in the country fell, it meant that soon a huge portion of this incredible species would be lost.
Our conservation team in the Cairngorms, led by Senior Ecological Advisor Sam Jones, jumped into action and started exploring how they could help save it.
This led to what is believed to be the first-ever documented translocation, where a species is taken from it’s home and moved to a new safe habitat, of an epiphytic moss, which is a moss that grows on a living plant such as a tree, without harming it.
Without intervention, the moss on this tree would die as the bark started to decompose and other species moved in to outcompete it. This meant it was a race against time to save the Aspen Bristle-moss that was on the tree – but it also gave the perfect opportunity to explore whether this technique could be used to help increase the population of the whole species.
We have been working with Aspen Bristle-moss as part of our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World project.
Last year, thanks to training we organised to ID the rare moss, numbers at one site where it is found in Scotland, tripled in just one afternoon.
Continuing our work, we wanted to protect the moss on the fallen tree, but also test whether translocation might be a viable method in the future, to help the species recover.
With support from the landowner Wildland and help from a variety of national and international moss experts, we tested 4 experimental methods of translocation across 19 Aspen trees within 2 km of the fallen tree: attaching bark, netting moss, placing it into small drilled holes and wiping fragments directly onto bark.
We will be closely monitoring the site to see which approach works best.
The trial also highlights a wider problem: much of Scotland’s Aspen resource is ageing, and in many places there has been little natural replacement because of grazing pressure.
Even where young Aspen are now returning, it will take decades for those trees to support specialist species such as Aspen Bristle-moss, and it is crucial to protect the scarce mid-aged Aspen trees
We hope the results of this trial will help guide future conservation of rare mosses and Aspen woodland.
Work on this species is funded by NatureScot, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Swire Charitable Trust.
With thanks to Simon Dures for the photography and videography.
Senior Ecological Advisor Sam Jones testing different translocation methods.
Multiple methods were trialled.
Tweezers were used to move the tiny parts of the rare moss.
The fallen tree was home to Scotland’s largest population of the rare Aspen Bristle-moss.
It is believed to be the first ever translocation of its kind
Explore more stories from Scotland
The post Groundbreaking First Translocation to Save Rare Moss appeared first on Plantlife.
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What Wildlife can You Spot in Your No Mow May Lawn
It’s not just our wonderful wildflowers which benefit from not mowing our lawns this May – our pollinators, birds and wildlife flourish when we manage our lawns for nature!
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Pollinators and other wildlife bring our gardens to life with buzzing and fluttering along our lawns, borders and hedges.
From bees to butterflies, and beetles to hoverflies, the wildflowers keep them thriving in our neighbourhoods. Here are just a handful of the species which you can spot in your garden this May and beyond.
And if you haven’t already, why not join the No Mow Movement and help pollinators from home.
Speckled Wood Butterfly
The dappled pattern of the Speckled Wood is a sign that summer is on its way. With up to two generations of this sun-seeking butterfly being produced in a year, it’s crucial that its caterpillar food plants, long grasses such as False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cock’s-foot Dactylis glomerata and Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus are available. This is why leaving patches of long grass year around in your garden is so important!
Red-tailed Bumblebee
Living up to its name, this bumblebee can be seen across the UK in spring with its vividly red tail. Bumblebees like this one rely on a plentiful supply of our wonderfully wild plants such as Red Clover Trifolium pratense and Dandelions Taraxacum officinale to supply them with nectar and pollen. These are food sources for the bees and their larvae – next year’s buzzing bumblebees!
Play No Mow May Bingo
No Mow May Bingo
See how many you can tick off in your No Mow May garden or green space. Or why not make a game on a nature walk?
Cinnabar Moth
The life cycle of this bright and boldly patterned moth (pictured in the heading) relies entirely on one of our sunniest wildflowers – the yellow Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea. Its tiger-striped caterpillars munch on this unpalatable plant before pupating underground over winter, ready to emerge as moths and put on another dazzling show next year.
Marmalade Hoverfly
This deliciously named hoverfly is one of our easiest flies to spot, identified by its black and orange bands and mesmerising levitating flight. Despite being disguised as a wasp, this friendly pollinator relies solely on nectar from flat flower heads such as Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea and Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris.
Cockchafer Beetle
Commonly known as the May Bug, these chunky red/orange beetles only live for 5-6 weeks. Despite their short lives above ground, females rely on grassy areas such as lawns to lay their eggs, where the larvae develop hidden deep underground for up to 5 years. Look out for them on warm evenings, perhaps bumping into your lit window!
Make the No Mow May Pledge
Plantlife’s No Mow Movement is here – let’s let it grow for nature! Pledge to take part today and get a FREE No Mow May guide.
It’s one of the easiest ways to connect with wildlife and the perfect way to start supporting nature in your garden (in May and beyond!).
The post What Wildlife to Spot in Your No Mow May Lawn appeared first on Plantlife.
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