I let thistles, ragwort, clovers, and other flowering native "weeds" grow tall and flower fully, let the grass seed at knee height before cutting it each year, keep some deadfall around, and pile sticks along the fence line. Its still perfectly navigable. The grass is flattened under foot.

When cutting i use a scythe and sheers to minimise the amount of caterpillars etc. getting killed.

For my protected potted/bedded plants i use a variety of natural methods to keep aphids and snails at bay, and they work brilliantly. Bait plants (some weeds fill this purpose too), Neem oil treatment, nematodes, and more.

The amount of life, happy bugs, birds, bees, etc. i find thriving, and the variety, fills me with far more joy than the equivalent of giving my garden a bowl cut.