There are many good reasons to reduce lawn mowing and increase mowing height when you have dandelions. All parts are edible and can be added to a salad (assuming you leave your lawn untreated!). The flowers are essential spring food for bumble bees and the birds love the nutritious seeds; preferably before the seed head opens.
Dandelions are full of vitamins (A, C, and K as well as some C & B vitamins) and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Bullfinch and goldfinches on the lawn at Ballynoe House
The seeds are popular with all varieties of finch, which can generate a daily buffet on the lawn at Ballynoe House. This includes the rarely-sighted and shy bullfinch (which we only tend to see around this time of year), the colourful goldfinches (of which we have plenty) and chaffinches. Our neighbourhood pheasants are also very partial to a dandelion or two.
At Ballynoe House we keep about 3 acres of wildflower meadow as our part in helping to maintain local biodiversity.