Shrubs and hedges
Shrubs and hedges are cut back once a year during the winter. A response team is available to deal with overgrown footpaths and sight line problems at other times of the year. To report a problem please contact 01256 844844 or email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk. Hedge cutting does not take place from mid March to mid summer due to nesting birds unless there are health and safety reasons such as impeded sight lines or risk of harm to pedestrians. An environmental audit will take place where hedges need to be cut back in these instances to make sure that wild life is not adversely affected.
Weed control
Basingstoke and Deane makes responsible legal use of non-residual herbicide and mulching techniques to control weeds in soft landscape areas. We arrange the chemical control of weeds to highway surfaces on behalf of Hampshire County Council. Two applications are applied per year. The chemical used is Roundup Pro, the active ingredient of which is Glyphosate. This is a non-toxic product that does not harm pets or wildlife. All our operatives and contractors are qualified to National Proficiency Testing Council standard.
Floral display
Flower beds, hanging baskets, towers and other planters can be seen throughout Basingstoke. These provide colourful seasonal displays and our team take great pride in their maintenance.
What is the impact of climate change
Climate change has increased the growing season by 24 days in the last 30 years. Increased CO², rising temperatures and excessive rainfall has and will continue to expedite grass growth. By 2020, a low forecast of 1° annual increase in temperatures is expected to extend the growing season for lawns by a further 2 – 3 weeks.
