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Grow Don't Mow

Give caterpillars a helping hand. Create a wild patch.

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Did you know caterpillars are picky eaters? They all need their favourite food plant. 

A simple way to help is by taking the #GrowDontMow challenge. Pick a patch of your lawn, don’t mow it and wait for the results.

Lots of caterpillars, like the meadow brown, love to eat grasses. By making a wild patch, you’re providing a buffet for young caterpillars. Remember, no caterpillars means no butterflies.

Grow Dont Mow poster

Download your challenge kit

 

Download now

Our digital pack contains:

  •    Grow Don’t Mow sign & poster
  •    Gardening for butterflies booklet
  •    Flyers to get your street involved
  •    Neat and wild tips sheet
  •    Wonderful wildflowers ID guide
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Make a difference...

Last year the number of garden butterflies declined by a third so we need to create more space for them!

Wild patches provide three key things:

1. Caterpillar food – some have a real taste for different grasses

2. Butterfly nectar – if your wild patches will often have wildflowers

3. Shelter – butterflies need a place to live too! 

Get my starter pack

One garden over two years of the Grow Dont Mow challenge...

Grow Dont Mow flyer

Get others involved

Be a wildlife champion by getting others to take the challenge.

We’ve created some flyers that you can print off to help spread the word. Nature thrives when it’s connected so, the more people on your street taking action, the more butterflies that you’re likely to see.

Are there any other benefits?

Leaving your grass to grow isn’t just good for wildlife, it’s good for you too. Creating a connection with nature has been shown to improve our health and wellbeing so each week, instead of mowing your lawn, why not spend that time connecting with nature instead?