I tested out No Mow May this year - and you’d be surprised at all the wonderful plants that have popped up in just a few weeks. I love some of the flowers so much I'm keeping them for as long as possible.
Why did I try No Mow May?
I decided to leave the grass to grow to encourage bees and pollinators into our garden. For the first time in many years, I now have the space to be able to plant lots of vegetables, fruit trees, salad, strawberries and (a few too many) tomato plants. So I wanted to encourage as many pollinators as possible to make sure we get as many fruits as possible later in the season.
To people walking past, the front garden probably just looked messy - in fact someone rang the doorbell near the end of May, and asked if we needed a gardener. Of course I said “NO WAY! This is for the bees!”
But I’ve loved the results - and there are some really surprising plants that have popped up, not only on the lawn, but in the hedges. I have a patch of cleavers steadily increasing at the bottom of the lawn, and I’m leaving them to go to seed so that next year I’ll have even more (anyone who has had the pleasure of drinking my cleavers juice recently will know how excited I am to have my own patch of such a wonderful herb).
So here are a few of the wonderful plants I’m lucky enough to have in my garden.
(*Little note - I’m not an experienced botanist - but with a little help from Google Lens, plus my library of Culpeper, herbal, spagyrics and foraging books, I think I’ve managed to identify the right species… but I might be completely wrong!)
Lady’s Smock/Fairy Flower/May Flower (Cardamine Pratensis)
An edible that can be added to soups, salads, vinegars and oils, its pungent flavour is similar to watercress (and used to be sold as “meadow bittercress” on market stalls).
It is high in vitamin C, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and has been used as a cure for scurvy and fevers, kidney stones, ulcers and digestive issues. It is believed to grow in soil rich in metal and minerals. Its generic name of Cardamine, has its origins in two Greek words - “heart” and “to subdue”, believed to come from its alleged medicinal properties as a sedative
In folklore Lady’s smock was used by witches in their spells, and is a flower of the fairies. If it is picked or brought indoors, it is thought to cause a storm or a lightening strike.
Fox and Cubs, or Hawkweed (Hieracium):
There are 245 different breed of Hawkweed in Britain, so I’m not claiming to have identified the correct species… but I do seem to have a lovely, thriving patch of a type of Hieracium (possibly Hieracium Pilosella or Mouse-Ear Hawkweed).
Culpeper’s Complete Herbal mentions Hawkweed’s cooling soothing abilities - good for internal inflammation, aiding digestion and reducing flatulence. Externally, he recommends using Hawkweed to soothe bites and stings, plus burns.
In folklore, it gets its name from a Hawk’s preference for eating this plant, and falconers believed the hawks squeezed the juice out of the plant and rubbed it on their eyeballs, which gave them their amazing eyesight.
The name Fox & Cubs comes from its appearance -
They attract bees and moths - which is why I’ve decided to keep the flowers for as long as possible.
But my favourite has to be the beautiful bright magenta pink flowers that have exploded at the bottom of the lawn, under the hedges. I think I like them so much because the flowers are the same colour as my hair, and they have heart shaped leaves - plus they've been a tasty addition to salads (although I'm careful to only have a few here and there so that they can continue to grow, and because they contain oxalic acid).
Pink Sorrel (Oxalis Articulata)
Another edible, it has a similar lemony taste to wood sorrel, and packs some amazing benefits. It is rich in vitamin C, and antioxidants, and believed to improve eyesight, strengthen the immune system, aids digestion, boosts energy and lowers blood pressure.
The leaves can be ground and applied to irritated skin, its cooling and anti-inflammatory properties will help alleviate itches, burns and irritations. It has beautiful heart shaped leaves, and bright pink flowers. The leaves close/droop on a night, and the flowers open fully in the sunlight - a plant after my own heart.
In folklore it is associated with Venus, and the Fae - the dried leaves are said to bring luck, and helps the holder to see fairies.
There also looks to be some kind of Ragwort, Creeping Buttercups, False Dandelions (and real Dandelions), plus Bluebells, Clovers, Daisies, and possibly Black Medic. But I might look into these in more detail at a later date (I’ll definitely be doing more research into Dandelions, after learning about their amazing properties, medicinal, edible and in skincare - look out for a future blog).
What have you found in your garden this Spring? Have you discovered any amazing plants growing nearby that you've never noticed before? Let us know!
Comments