Grass, hedges and shrubs

Our grounds maintenance team is responsible for ensuring that our grass, hedges and shrubs are cut and trimmed.

On this page:

Grass cutting - June 2021 update

A very wet May, followed by damp spells in June, have produced the perfect conditions for a prolific growing season over the past few weeks.

This slowed our scheduled grass cutting work, which started in spring this year.

We have been working hard to catch-up with scheduled works to cut the grass but it will take a few weeks to catch-up fully, after which we hope to get back on track with our programmed routine schedule and maintain our standards of previous years.

Thank you for your understanding. If you do notice any overgrown areas of grass, you can report it the usual way, whereby we will resolve the issue as soon as we are able.

Report a problem

If you wish to make an enquiry or report a problem with grass, hedges or shrubs on our land, use the online form below.

Report a problem with grass, hedges or shrubs

You can also make a report by calling customer services on 023 8028 5000.

Grass cutting

We cut the grass on council-owned land. We do not cut grass on private property or land owned by other organisations, such as parish councils, unless there is an agreement in place.

You can identify whether we own areas of grass by searching our online mapping system.

The frequency of the cut depends on the type of land use.

Urban areas are generally cut at 40mph or less. We cut up to eight times a year between mid-March and early November on behalf of Hampshire County Council. The cut frequency is generally every four to five weeks, depending on the season and weather conditions.
Rural road verges are generally cut at over 40mph. These verges are cut by Hampshire County Council.
Cemeteries are cut regularly, typically monthly, depending on weather conditions and interments.
Public open spaces are generally cut every four to five weeks between mid-March and early November. Find out more about public open spaces.

There may be changes to the planned cutting programme due to:

weather
ground or soil conditions
where we are introducing wildflower meadows to help biodiversity and wildlife.

The grass is not collected after it is cut. It is left to break down back into the soil. We will clear significant amounts of grass from the footpath after cutting to keep the area tidy.

Hedge maintenance

We cut over 30,000 metres of hedge every year in:

The hedges are cut twice a year, in July and November. We always try to litter pick the area around the hedge before and after cutting to keep it tidy.

We do not cut hedges during the bird nesting period unless there is a safety risk, such as with an obstruction or at road junction sight lines.

Hedges on private property should be cut and maintained by the owner or occupier of the property.

We publish advice about .

Shrub bed maintenance

Shrub beds in car parks, council housing and along the highway are cared for by our grounds maintenance team. They are visited throughout the year, with the main maintenance works undertaken over the winter.

Shrub beds are pruned in line with good horticultural practice.

Edging, weed control and litter removal are carried out when required.

Cemetery maintenance

Our grounds maintenance team carry out a range of work in our cemeteries, to keep them as places of peace and tranquillity.

Find out more about cemeteries.