Horiticultural standards
Our Grounds Maintenance section maintains shrubs, roses, bedding beds and herbaceous borders. We also cut hedges and carry out replanting.
Shrub Beds
Shrub beds are visited eight times per year, once per month from March to October. During these visits the contractor will remove all weeds, litter and any other debris and dispose of it. All beds will be treated with a residual herbicide once between January and March when conditions are suitable.
Shrubs will be pruned once per year between October and March. The amount and type of pruning is specifically detailed in the contract and will vary dependent on the type of shrub. If there is a problem with a shrub trespassing over a footpath, window, doorway etc this should be cut back on the next monthly visit.
Rose Beds
Rose beds are visited eight times per year, once per month from March to October. During these visits all beds shall be weeded and hoed through and all litter and other debris removed. During June to October visits all dead flowers and suckers shall be removed.
During November and December the roses shall be pruned to remove one third of the previous season's growth.
During February and March roses shall be pruned to remove dead or diseased material and to prune remaining growth to leave three to seven buds per stem (dependent on variety). Beds will be raked and forked over and fertilizer applied.
Beds will be edged once between October and March.
Flower Beds
The council’s flower beds are planted twice per year in October and May. After planting all beds should be visited approximately every ten days when leaves and litter should be cleared and beds hoed.