A HORTICULTURAL haven in Port Glasgow is locking away its lawnmowers for the next few weeks - to help bees and butterflies.

The team at Parklea Branching Out are taking part in No Mow May - an initiative which encourages people to let grass grow so that pollinators can feast on the pollen of wild flowers.

Parklea's service users are taking photographs of the wild flowers and insects and identifying them.

At the end of May, they will get involved in Plantlife's 'Every Flower Counts' survey by reporting on all their fascinating finds.

Parklea's Susan Steell said: "Our clients are passionate about helping the local insects, wildlife and native plants that we are so fortunate to have here in Inverclyde.

"By allowing nature to take over our grass areas, we hope to encourage various wild flowers which are beneficial to our local insect life to grow.

"We need to continue to support this natural beautiful area and No Mow May is an easy way for everyone to lend their help to the local environment."

Parklea service user Beth Anderson and her friends from the centre have been making some 'scaremows' to remind people not to cut their lawns until the end of the month.

The cute figures have been made using upcycled materials and their dresses were knitted by Parklea attendee Beth Robertson.

As No Mow May progresses, the Parklea team will collect seeds from wild flowers and make them into 'seed bombs' which will be distributed all over Inverclyde.

Susan added: "Learning about our local pollinators like native bees, our hived honey bees, ladybirds, moths, flies and butterflies is helping our clients to appreciate the natural world.

"We've been learning about sowing and planting and have been surveying our pond water and growing soil and leaf mould.

"It's always a learning day at Parklea."