Alan Titchmarsh: the downside to hedge trimming Now before I go any further, let me make it clear that I am not referring to the litter of humankind. As someone who has, to his daughter's alarm, risked life and limb by handing back through a car window, at a red traffic light, the empty can of Red Bull that was, moments before, hurled out of it, I deplore nothing more than the thoughtless disposal of cans, crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and other such detritus. (The youth to whom I handed back the Red Bull can lobbed it back out of the car window as soon as he moved off. Still, at least I tried.) Hedges, or informal rows of trees and shrubs on central reservations where they are posing no danger to traffic or pedestrians, should be left untrimmed unless they become unsafe. Not only will this create a better natural environment for wildlife, it also has the benefit of cutting down traffic noise and air pollution as well as reducing labour costs. Roadside verges, other than the ones on housing estates and in urban areas where they become a part of the pavement, need not be obsessively manicured. The charity Plantlife - "speaking up for the nation's wild plants" - is doing its best to raise awareness of the mindless cutting of roadside verges on dual carriageways and roads where they do not provide a walkway for pedestrians. We've all seen it - a bloke on a ride-on mower, ear defenders clamped in place, roaring up and down the verge every few weeks, scattering clippings to the four winds but leaving most of the clods in place on the mown strip where they not only look ugly but, more importantly, kill out the sward beneath - that rich botanic garden that is part of our heritage. Almost all these verges would be better left uncut until early autumn when the wild-flower seed has been shed to ensure next year's blooms. Then they could be trimmed just the once and the "hay" taken off. The extra cost of removing the cut material (and composting it at the council recycling centre) would be more than compensated for by the fact that the mower does not have to turn out at all between March and October. The value of the wild-flower sward to bees, butterflies, thousands of other insects, birds and mammals would be incalculable. What's more, longer grass is better at absorbing litter, and wouldn't you rather gaze on a swathe of wild flowers than lumps of rotting grass? Doesn't this make a reassessment of roadside verge and hedge trimming a bit of a no-brainer? The councils save money that can be better spent on other things and the wildlife has some respite. With the rapid reduction in both butterfly and hedgehog numbers over the past few years, and with roadside verges constituting three times the amount of grassland than is left in our countryside, this is a situation that we need to act upon - and fast. Tackle your local council about it. And if you are a local councillor, please sort it out. Cut less, cut later and clear up. It really matters. Weather for ducks To keep you up to date on the goings on in my duck house, a pair of mallards has arrived, having moved out when their two broods were raised last summer. The moorhens remained in residence and are now endeavouring to see off the ducks. In this David and Goliath contest, it will be interesting to see who wins - the mallards have the beef, but the moorhens the sharper beaks and an apparent ability to run across water like jet-propelled javelins. No result yet, but watch this space. Spring cleaning With the lengthening days, the urge has arrived to make a fresh start: the wardrobe has been cleared out and trousers that are just an inch too tight in the waistband (my wardrobe is clearly damp) have been sent to the charity shop. Shirts, too, have been mercilessly culled (sob!). All that remains now is the topmost drawer in my chest. The one where all the bits go that don't go anywhere else - everything from luggage tags to phone chargers, collection boxes for charity and those that came with cuff links. I am steeling myself and telling myself that on the next wet afternoon - and, alas, there are plenty of them at the moment - it will be cleansed. Sentimental? A bit, but I am determined that - unlike an old friend of mine - I shall not keep a box labelled "pieces of string too short to use."