In spring, this patch of grass in Shelfield is normally a riot of yellow flowers. It won’t be next year. 6:15pm, Tuesday, 1st May 2012.
I know i’ve covered this on my 365daysofbiking Tumblr journal, but this issue deserves as wide an audience as possible. On my way through Shelfield this morning, I noticed that Walsall Council had been mowing the grass verges along the Lichfield Road, which is great, and they normally do a wonderful job. I was, however, heartbroken to note that this time, the intellectual giant behind the mower had mown off the daffodils that grow in abundance on these verges. Normally, they are left until summer to decay before cutting.
People who follow me here, or on my cycling travels or even through social media will know just how much I love those flowers. They’re a sign of spring and warmer days, and bring colour to an otherwise drab urban landscape, usually devoid of soft textures and bright natural colour.
After flowering, daffodils reabsorb nutrients from their decaying foliage back into their bulb, where this goodness forms the flower ready for next season. If you cut the top off such a plant before this has occurred, the next season will present a plant with no flower. At a stroke the flowers which are normally a joy here in April are wrecked for next spring. Well done, chaps. In how many other places across the borough has this happened? Considering how many bulb-planting sessions went on with local kids last year, this could be a real disaster.
I realise this wasn’t intentional, but it’s a real blot on the reputation of an otherwise fine department. I’m really, really sad about it.
How the same spot looked on the 2nd April 2012. Next year, there will be few flowers here. A tragedy.