Why not say “no to the mow” this summer?
Published
Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA) & West Beckenham Residents' Association (WBRA)
Two residents' associations working together across Beckenham on your behalf
Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA) & West Beckenham Residents' Association (WBRA)
Two residents' associations working together across Beckenham on your behalf
Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA) & West Beckenham Residents' Association (WBRA) 
Bulbs are a good idea on verges, too, besides in our own gardens.
However, I still think if everyone who has a back or front garden leaves a portion uncut it will make a huge difference. I have left a portion of my back garden and it is a delight to see the range of bees, butterflies, and smaller insects which can be found at the base of the grass.
Children can be taught to value and enjoy insect life. My 20 month old grandson loves watching the bees, and I am determined he will not grow up with any fear of insects. Fostering a love of nature at an early age is so important.
Many front gardens have been lost in Beckenham, due to demolition of houses, or people paving them to use for parking a car.
Biodiversity and the ecosystem are in crisis and we all need to do something to help.
A wildflower area can be created on a patch of grass as small as one square metre.
( This point has been mentioned in ‘Plantlife’.)
I suggest we each make a target to keep at least one section of lawn ‘wild’.
It can be difficult if you share a front garden with others, in which case you will have to make a compromise, but explain the reason for rewilding.
I did this to my portion of front lawn last year, and thought it looked very pretty, besides attracting bees, butterflies and other insects. Some other residents were not of the same opinion!
Some people unfortunately dislike insects of any type, besides wanting a perfectly weed/ and wild flower free lawn; often mowed in perfect stripes!
A better approach would be to encourage more bulb planting in verges at Springtime; roads such as Kings Hall Road have looked very good this year. Leaving verges uncut for long periods of time has been tried and failed, weed growth is vastly increased and the verges never recover properly. A later mow, enjoying new bulbs would be the best start to the warmer weather. Rod Reed