No Mow May Campaign in Sussex

Help Sussex Bloom: Join the No Mow May Campaign

Sussex Green Living is proud to support the national No Mow May campaign created by Plantlife, helping to bring its vital message to communities across Sussex. This simple act of letting lawns and green spaces grow wild through May creates vital food and shelter for bees, butterflies, slowworms, hedgehogs and more. Together we can turn gardens, verges, parks and school grounds into buzzing blooming wildlife havens.

We often say we care about nature but in our rush to tidy, trim and control our green spaces we can easily overlook the small, obvious wins. Letting a patch of grass grow long may seem insignificant but it can be a lifeline for wildlife. No Mow May is a chance for us all to slow down, look closer and do something meaningful with minimal effort.

What is No Mow May?

No Mow May is a national initiative led by the conservation charity Plantlife. It encourages individuals, households, schools, businesses and councils to put down the lawnmower for the month of May. By leaving lawns uncut we allow wildflowers like clover, daisies and dandelions to grow, providing critical early-season nectar for pollinators and shelter for other wildlife emerging from hibernation.

Why it matters in Sussex 

Sussex has lost a significant portion of its wildflower-rich grasslands and many of our local pollinator species are in serious decline. From bees and butterflies to birds and bats the ripple effect is huge. But with thousands of gardens, verges and shared spaces across the county we have an opportunity to reverse that trend, one lawn at a time.

Leaving even a small patch of grass to grow long can help wildlife flourish. It can also create refuge for creatures like hedgehogs and slowworms both of which rely on cover and connected habitat to thrive. For more on how to support hedgehogs and create slowworm-friendly spaces these guides offer practical advice.

If you’re in the Horsham area and spot a verge, park or pathway with longer grass this spring, it’s likely part of the WildWays Project — a district-wide effort to reintroduce wildflowers, boost biodiversity and connect fragmented habitats. These are not neglected spaces but deliberate, pollinator-rich corridors in the making.

Look around your own patch too. Does your garden back onto a park, a woodland, a patch of scrub? Scrub is one of our most valuable yet underappreciated habitats, supporting a huge variety of species including nightingales and turtle doves. By letting the edges stay wild and linking our spaces, we can create vital lifelines for wildlife.

Become a Bee Host 

This shared effort is part of a wider movement to support nature across the county. We are proud to work in alignment with:

• Wilder Horsham District a partnership between Horsham District Council and Sussex Wildlife Trust helping residents create wild spaces in their communities

• From Weald to Waves a bold nature recovery initiative linking habitats from the High Weald to the Sussex coast. You can even register your wild patch and become part of this living corridor by mapping your garden, green space or verge as part of the network

• Ashdown Forest where habitat conservation and wildlife corridors support some of Sussex’s rarest species

• Sussex Wildlife Trust, South Downs National Park’s ReNature campaign and The Living Coast all working to reconnect people and landscapes across the region

Together these efforts create a county-wide patchwork of hope and regeneration.

Simple Ways to Take Part

• Let your lawn grow throughout May even just a patch makes a difference
• Encourage neighbours, schools or local councils to join in
• Add signs explaining why you’re letting it grow (a great way to spread awareness)
• Plant pollinator-friendly native flowers around the edges or in containers — some like wild garlic or borage can even be added to your meals!
• Create a mini pond — even a bucket or washing up bowl can provide essential water for insects, amphibians and birds. See guidance from PondNet and Wild About Gardens
• Leave piles of logs, sticks or stones to create shelter for insects and amphibians

• Share your wild space on social media with #NoMowMay, #SussexGreenLiving and #NoMowMaySussexv – not only does it spread the message but it also shows how many people across Sussex are taking part. Your post might just inspire someone else on your street to join in. There’s power in seeing we’re not alone.

What Sussex Green Living Is Doing

We’re developing Pollination Education Stations across Horsham District, living classrooms filled with native plants and wildlife-friendly features that inspire communities to take action. These stations show how easy and beautiful it can be to rewild just a little space. We’re also running talks and offering resources to help individuals, schools and groups get involved.

Sponsor or Create a Pollination Education Station (PES)
Want to help us grow more wild spaces? We are looking for community partners and sponsors to help us expand our network of Pollination Education Stations across Sussex.
Find out about sponsoring a PES.

Find out more about No Mow May and how Sussex is getting involved:

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West Sussex County Times: Sussex Green Living: Why I’m embracing No Mow May and how you can help our pollinators