Dandelions are the stars of No Mow May – here's why you should keep them in your garden

It’s No Mow May, and that means you can leave your lawnmower in the shed this month and let your grass and weeds run rampant. There’s one weed that experts are celebrating above others, though – dandelions.

If there’s one thing we (and wildlife) love about this month, it’s that it's No Mow May. But our grass isn’t the only plant that’s off the hook – there are plenty of weeds you should leave in a garden, according to experts, and dandelions are one of them.

I thought I’d delve a little deeper into why you should keep dandelions in your garden, and how to dedicate a wild zone if you're not ready to let your whole garden go.

Dandelions offer so many benefits, both for us and wildlife. They’re important players in our gardens’ ecosystems, too.

While many of the weeds you’ll want to get rid of in your lawn can outcompete your grass for light and nutrients, dandelions can aid the growth of other plants.

‘Dandelions are a valuable food source for pollinators and other insects, and their deep roots help aerate and loosen the soil, making it easier for other plants to grow,’ says Samantha Richards, garden gazebo expert at Gazeboshop.

Alongside dandelions, there are plenty of other plants that bees love. Try honeysuckle, like Lonicera periclymenum 'Chic et Choc' from Sarah Raven, or go for Agastache 'Blackadder' from Crocus, which is a favourite among butterflies, too.

If you don’t want to dedicate your entire lawn to dandelions, you can set aside a 'wild zone' instead. The Grass People’s lawn expert, Chris McIlroy, is an advocate for keeping a patch of dandelions throughout the year – not just for No Mow May.

‘With a longer-term approach to biodiversity, you’ll ideally set aside a small area such as a circle in the middle of your lawn, path or border as your year-round ‘wild zone’,’ he explains.

‘It doesn’t need to be huge. Even a small patch of wildflowers can support dozens of bees.’

You can buy dandelion seeds from Amazon.

Chris McIlroy

Chris is the technical product lead and in-house lawn seed expert for The Grass People, a grass seed company that champion their expert lead advice and high-quality seed. His advice is focused on sowing, mowing, and maintaining a perfect lawn, and how to overcome any lawn issues homeowners face.

Actually, keeping your dandelion patch beyond No Mow May is better for wildlife long-term. ‘The benefit of this is that you don’t have to resume your normal mowing schedule in June and disrupt the habitats these pollinators have created,’ says Chris.

Weed-scaping with plants like dandelions is becoming a popular garden trend.

‘Weed-scaping is the antithesis of high-maintenance gardening and a win for pollinators, lazy gardeners, and the environment,’ says Samantha.

To get the most out of your ‘wild zone’, you can grow other flowers alongside your dandelions. You could even learn how to grow a mini meadow to create a haven for visiting wildlife.

‘Dandelions sit nicely alongside other wildflowers to give a garden a vibrant and whimsical style,’ agrees Chris. ‘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.’

If you’re still keen to get rid of dandelions in your lawn, there are ways to crack down on them. But dandelions aren’t just brilliant for wildlife – they’re also full of benefits for us humans.

‘Their flowers and roots are edible, and people have found many ways to benefit from the flavours and nutrients, including teas and salads,’ says Samantha.

There are plenty of reasons why you should keep dandelions in your garden. They can boost biodiversity, improve soil health, and even provide us with some nutrition. Sounds great to us!