Every year, when May arrives, dandelions bloom and so do the posts about No Mow May. Thousands of Quebecers put away their lawn mowers for the month, let their lawns grow, and proudly share photos of their “urban meadows.” We understand the enthusiasm. We share it!
But this year, we want to go further. As people who spend our days growing native plant seeds, we want to build on that momentum and invite you to take the next step. Not to correct the movement, but to amplify it.
What No Mow May does really well
It is an effective communication movement. It asks for very little. Doing nothing is accessible to everyone. No purchases, no special skills, no time investment. It creates a collective sense of belonging: one month, one name, one image that is easy to share. Most importantly, it opens a conversation that many people would never have had otherwise. Why does my lawn look like a golf green? What are wildflowers for? Who are these buzzing insects?
For all of that, hats off.
But here is what we do not say enough
The flowers found in typical North American lawns are almost entirely species introduced from Europe. Dandelions. White clover. These plants have their place in the ecosystem, and some generalist insects make good use of them.
But the pollinators that are truly in decline? Wild native bees, bumblebees, small solitary bees... They have co-evolved for thousands of years with our native flora. Those are the plants they are looking for.
The problem with “I did my part”
There is another, less discussed side effect: premature satisfaction. When we let our lawn grow for an entire month, we feel like we have contributed. Then on June 1, the mower starts up again, and the topic disappears until the following year.
Ecology, however, does not work that way. Pollinators need resources from May to October. They need a stable habitat, not a one-month break in a green desert.
What pollinators really need
It is no mystery, the science is clear on this. Here is what makes a real and lasting difference:
- Native plants, not just unmown lawn. Species that evolved here, such as wild bergamot, New England aster, red columbine, swamp milkweed, and blue vervain, are true powerhouses of food for local pollinators. A single well-placed native plant is worth more than several square metres of lawn left to itself.
- Less lawn, not just taller lawn. The real transformation is replacing part of the lawn, even a three-square-metre corner, with a permanent planting. A bed of native perennials. A small meadow. A strip of native grasses.
- Nesting habitat. Seventy percent of wild bees nest in the ground. They need areas of bare or lightly covered soil. A few centimetres of hollow stems left in place in the fall. These tiny details change everything.
- Seasonal continuity. Early blooms, summer blooms, and late-season blooms. Pollinators need a restaurant open all season, not a May buffet.
The real invitation
No Mow May has opened a door. We invite you to walk through it.
This year, perhaps in addition to letting the lawn grow, you could plant a native perennial. Just one. And next year, perhaps add three more. And in five years, look out at a garden that is truly alive, and that feeds biodiversity throughout the entire season!
That is the work we do at Akène. We produce seeds of native species from eastern Canada, so that the plants you put in the ground truly come from here. So that your garden can become a real link in an ecosystem.
And to make that first step easier, we have something new to announce! A no-stratification wildflower meadow seed mix has just joined Akène’s residential collection: 14 native species, designed for direct spring sowing, with no preparation required. Flowering from May to October, medium soil, full sun.
No Mow May is a great start.
The real conversation starts now!