In the week we celebrate National Gardening Week, wildflowers could bloom in more public green spaces this month thanks to a pledge by Cheltenham's council to support No Mow May. 

Nine new meadow sites of around 17k square metres will be left to grow wild - in addition to Cheltenham's 50 existing meadow areas - covering over 290k square metres around the borough in total.

The aim of the campaign is to let the grass grow and wildflowers bloom, in doing so a 'nectar feast' is provided for pollinators such as honeybees, bumblebees, butterflies and moths, and beetles. Not cutting lawns and large grass areas encourages more flowers to grow and May is the point at which grass starts growing at its fastest rate.

Cllr Iain Dobie, cabinet member for waste, recycling and street services, said: "I'm delighted we are supporting No mow May. Our meadow sites at Pittville Park, Springfield Park and Winston Churchill Memorial Gardens, to name a few, have been really popular with our residents in the past and I'm really pleased to be adding new spaces this year. It's vital that we do as much as possible to support our precious wildlife. These spaces will be left to nature and not mown until the end of the summer.

"We're keen to hear our residents' views at the end of the summer and whether they feel that the project has enhanced the town. These areas haven't been sown with meadow seed, but they could if they became permanent."

The new areas for 2023 include:

Brizen Playing Field

Chargrove Lane open space

Coronation Square roundabout

Hesters Way Park

Humpty Dumps open space

Manor Farm open space

Swindon Village

Cirencester Road open space

Hillview/ Cheriton open space

Specific areas within these green spaces will still be mown to allow residents and visitors to continue activities such as dog walking and allow children to play in more maintained green spaces.

To give feedback on the project, email greenspacedevelopment@cheltenham.gov.uk.