Botanist and Eesti Loodus editor-in-chief Toomas Kukk said not all public green spaces need to be left unmown. Some areas could be mowed frequently, while others might be fine with just one or two cuts a year.

"The return of species is a slow process. A friend of mine recently wrote that he's been mowing less in his garden for years, generally just keeping the footpaths clear. In the fall, he mows the whole yard. Only now, after about 15 years, have orchids finally started to appear. You can't really expect that just because you change your approach, you'll instantly have a thriving meadow," he said.

Kukk believes that instead of avoiding mowing entirely in a home garden, it's better to vary the areas being mowed — more in one spot one year, more in another the next. "We need more variety in mowing practices as well — not just an all-or-nothing approach where either everything is left to grow wild or a robot mows the lawn daily. Some areas can be left longer between mowings, while others might benefit from more frequent cuts," the botanist explained.

Kukk also recommends sowing seed mixes. A variety of mixes containing seeds collected from Estonia's natural environment are available on the market. Some are better suited to sunny spots, others for areas under shrubs. "It's entirely possible to make your lawn more diverse by sowing seed mixes," the botanist emphasized.

Grasses cannot be allowed to dominate

Martin Zobel, a professor of plant ecology at the University of Tartu, pointed out that biodiversity can only develop where the right species are already present. Typically, there isn't much biodiversity in urban green spaces. As a result, simply not mowing often leads to the unchecked spread of tall grasses. He also believes that sowing seed mixes directly into these areas is essential.

"Soils in urban environments tend to be quite fertile, and air pollution contributes additional nutrients. In fertile soil, grasses tend to dominate. Therefore, it's important to make the soil a bit less rich. In Central Europe, they've even gone so far as to strip the topsoil — removing the more fertile layer and using it elsewhere in landscaping. That way, the remaining ground starts to resemble a more flower-rich meadow," he explained.

While Zobel agrees that promoting biodiversity is a welcome and positive trend, he believes it doesn't need to happen everywhere in a city. A lawn can still be kept short — at least as long as there are patches of biodiversity somewhere within the urban landscape.

According to the professor, there are several techniques for encouraging biodiversity in home gardens. "My wife has turned our home lawn into a lovely flower-rich meadow. Mowing is fine, but it should happen after the seeds have ripened. That way, seed-producing plants have time to drop their seeds. You can also rotate the mowing areas — mow one part more one year and switch it up the next," Zobel suggested.

Still, some more dominant species tend to take over, he noted. In his own garden, one such species is the dandelion. "My wife has been persistently pulling them out. Those little holes left behind provide space for other species, whose seeds are already in the soil, to germinate," the plant ecologist explained.

Zobel said some good choices for a home garden include oxeye daisy and cowslip. Both flowers are fairly resilient in backyard settings. "There are seed mixes available for that purpose. A nice mix like that can definitely help liven up the garden," he concluded.

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