RARE FLOWERS were mown down by council contractors in Shinfield but residents have been reassured it won’t happen again.
Wokingham resident Kathryn McCann expressed her concerns after noticing pyramidal orchids had been destroyed outside the Wood Offices on the B3270 Lower Earley Way and the Black Boy roundabout.
She first spotted the plants on Monday, June 21 – but by the Saturday they had all gone.
Ms McCann said she is “feeling optimistic” that the council will change the way it tackles these flowers in future.
She said: “I got so excited when I saw them, they looked beautiful and it was buzzing with insects, so it is upsetting that this has happened.
“The orchids weren’t obstructing any views and there was no need to cut it down.”
Although Ms McCann raised the issue with Wokingham Borough Council, she is looking forward in hopes that it will not be repeated
in another area across the borough.
A spokesperson for the council said the orchids on the B3270 were rare, but those on the Black Boy Roundabout were not.
Wokingham resident Charlotte Allchin, who witnessed the cut, said she was “saddened” to see they had been removed.
She said: “They’re very beautiful and a valuable part
of an ecosystem involving ground mycelium and pollinators as a minimum.
“We should be protecting these naturally occurring wildflower spaces and I am confident that Wokingham Council will ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future.”
This is the second time
in recent weeks that orchids have been mown: council contractors Tivoli chopped down some flowers at the Shepherd’s Hill roundabout in Woodley.
Cllr John Halsall, leader of Wokingham Borough Council, wanted residents to contact him or his team if they felt something had gone wrong, or an area needed attention.
He said if the council makes a mistake they “need to know” straight away.
“Two or three years ago, residents were anxious to cut everything, early and frequently, but the mood has changed – allowing the wild flowers and allowing bits and bobs to be left is now in everybody’s mind,” he said.
“The message is please let me know, please let the council know, please let your councillors know, if areas should or shouldn’t be cut.”
The council confirmed that some orchids of a different variety at the Black Boy Roundabout were allowed to be cut, but the ones on the B3270 should not have been.
Spencer Rock, chief operations officer at the council’s contractor Tivoli, has apologised for causing upset to the residents.
He said: “We are extremely sorry that this mistake has been made, we have spoken with the local team to understand what went wrong and are implementing all necessary measures to make sure it categorically does not happen again.”
“We are committed to implementing refresher training and cross-skill programmes to continually improve the horticultural skills and knowledge of our operatives where required.”
