I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our
own council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things
of real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 30/04/2014 18:18, sacha wrote:
I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our own
council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things of
real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign
Than sounds fine, however I find that when they grow tall verges can
obstruct the view of the road. This is especial true of the central
reservation of dual carriageways. I am not usually on the side of elf
and safety, but in this case I am.

On 01/05/2014 12:07, Martin wrote:
On Thu, 01 May 2014 10:32:28 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

On 30/04/2014 18:18, sacha wrote:
I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our own
council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things of
real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign
Than sounds fine, however I find that when they grow tall verges can
obstruct the view of the road. This is especial true of the central
reservation of dual carriageways. I am not usually on the side of elf
and safety, but in this case I am.

Having tall vegetation obscuring the view of the other side of a dual
carriageway at night is a good thing, it obscures headlights.

Provided that you don't have any at grade crossings on the road.
It is dangerous if you lose the sight line to potential hazards.

A19 is quite well maintained and they leave the verges to be colonised
by wild primrose, anenomes, daffodils, poppies and orchids. They grass
cut late after most of the various wild flowers have set seed.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Thu, 01 May 2014 14:49:36 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Thu, 01 May 2014 13:01:41 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 01/05/2014 12:07, Martin wrote:
On Thu, 01 May 2014 10:32:28 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

On 30/04/2014 18:18, sacha wrote:
I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our own
council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things of
real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign
Than sounds fine, however I find that when they grow tall verges can
obstruct the view of the road. This is especial true of the central
reservation of dual carriageways. I am not usually on the side of elf
and safety, but in this case I am.

Having tall vegetation obscuring the view of the other side of a dual
carriageway at night is a good thing, it obscures headlights.

Provided that you don't have any at grade crossings on the road.
It is dangerous if you lose the sight line to potential hazards.

A19 is quite well maintained and they leave the verges to be colonised
by wild primrose, anenomes, daffodils, poppies and orchids. They grass
cut late after most of the various wild flowers have set seed.

and cow parsley; and ragwort that kills horses.

Ragwort doesn't kill horses.
Horses that eat ragwork kill horses.

Martin wrote:

On Thu, 01 May 2014 15:34:05 +0100, Fuschia
wrote:

Ragwort doesn't kill horses.
Horses that eat ragwork kill horses.

Interesting concept. I'll keep a look out for killer horses on the
A19.

If they've got any sense they'll get off the A19 and use the back roads
or go cross-country to reduce their chances of being caught.

--
Chris

On Wed, 30 Apr 2014 18:18:21 +0100, sacha wrote:

I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our
own council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things
of real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign

Whilst I have little or no time for Alan Titmarsh, on this occassion I
support his campaign without reservation.

Last year, when some local verges were not cut back due to LA budget
constraints I thought it was a redeeming feature of an unfortunate
situation. Then a local councillor decided to campaign for the
cutting to resumed on elfin safety grounds. I asked him to cite any
verges that were, as a result of the taller growth, causing a
demonstrable danger to road users - needless to say he did not
respond.

Obviously there is a need for those verges and hedges that potentialy
obstruct sightlines to be managed properly, but far too often the
growth is cut with absolutely no thought for the environmental
benefits of not cutting back until the flowering and seeding process
is complete.
--
rbel

In article ,
says...

On Wed, 30 Apr 2014 18:18:21 +0100, sacha wrote:

I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our
own council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things
of real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign

Whilst I have little or no time for Alan Titmarsh, on this occassion I
support his campaign without reservation.

Last year, when some local verges were not cut back due to LA budget
constraints I thought it was a redeeming feature of an unfortunate
situation. Then a local councillor decided to campaign for the
cutting to resumed on elfin safety grounds. I asked him to cite any
verges that were, as a result of the taller growth, causing a
demonstrable danger to road users - needless to say he did not
respond.

Here, outside the villages,all roads are rural, narrow, winding, and
have zero adjacent pavements/footpaths. Its a tourist area where locals
and tourist walkers perforce walk in the road among the local traffic..
cars, RV's, buses, forestry, delivery, builders and farm vehicles etc.
Lots of overseas tourist drivers are unused to left hand drive/ deer and
loose livestock on roads/ single track roads/ steep unprotected
hillsides with poor visibility where passing oncoming vehicles, let
alone overtaking one, is often impossible.

Grass verges are often the only, essential "escape" for walkers on
foot, and for that reason (and visibility to drivers) such verges do
have to be cut short at some points in the growinng season. Our council
tries to time cuts in summer after the bluebells and primroses have
finished but before the orchids flower.

Janet (Isle of Arran)

On 2014-05-01 17:30:46 +0000, rbel said:

On Wed, 30 Apr 2014 18:18:21 +0100, sacha wrote:

I have always had a lot of time for Alan Titchmarsh. Here, he is saying
exactly what I've said for years. He has a bit more clout! ;-) Our
own council is very good about this and hedgerows and verges are things
of real beauty round the South Hams. Please press your council into
following this campaign and keeping wildflowers in the verges for the
benefit of insects and humans:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign

Whilst I have little or no time for Alan Titmarsh, on this occassion I
support his campaign without reservation.

Last year, when some local verges were not cut back due to LA budget
constraints I thought it was a redeeming feature of an unfortunate
situation. Then a local councillor decided to campaign for the
cutting to resumed on elfin safety grounds. I asked him to cite any
verges that were, as a result of the taller growth, causing a
demonstrable danger to road users - needless to say he did not
respond.

Obviously there is a need for those verges and hedges that potentialy
obstruct sightlines to be managed properly, but far too often the
growth is cut with absolutely no thought for the environmental
benefits of not cutting back until the flowering and seeding process
is complete.

Even then, I've seen instances where a sight line strip is mown with
the rest left wild. A few years ago a tv programme showed a skylark
nesting in one such mere yards from the wheels of all sorts of
vehicles, including great big thundering artics.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 2014-05-01 12:49:36 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 01 May 2014 13:01:41 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:
snip

A19 is quite well maintained and they leave the verges to be colonised
by wild primrose, anenomes, daffodils, poppies and orchids. They grass
cut late after most of the various wild flowers have set seed.

and cow parsley; and ragwort that kills horses.

BUT ragwort feeds the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth, I believe.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 2014-05-01 21:55:48 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 1 May 2014 19:54:14 +0100, sacha wrote:

On 2014-05-01 12:49:36 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 01 May 2014 13:01:41 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:
snip

A19 is quite well maintained and they leave the verges to be colonised
by wild primrose, anenomes, daffodils, poppies and orchids. They grass
cut late after most of the various wild flowers have set seed.

and cow parsley; and ragwort that kills horses.

BUT ragwort feeds the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth, I believe.

It feeds killer horses too :-)

Us Devon 'orses is more fly 'n that. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon