5 May 2022

Verge

There are little green verges outside the houses at the top of  our street. We have lived here for thirty three years and I have tended, mowed and protected our verge for all that time.  Looking back it has been a constant battle and I could write a book about it all.

There used to be a horrible, diseased tree growing in the centre of the verge. I have no idea what variety it was but it was thin and unhealthy and struggled to put out any buds towards the end of its life. 

We reported it to the council's "Streets Ahead" team and after a few months, contractors came along to remove it. Several months later they were back planting a new tree. I would have preferred a native tree but instead we  got a magnoliua kobus which has is origins in Japan. We had no say in the matter. 

It was planted in January of this year and I am happy to report that it budded successfully this spring and has put out  new leaves..We have watered it several times  to increase its survival prospects. It is also nice to have the new tree there with its supporting stakes because  I am sure that the sight of it discourages careless drivers from parking on the verge.

It has often been heartbreaking to see the grass all churned up by vehicles - like a ploughed field - especially in wintertime. Lower down our street residents have given up trying to protect their verges and some never even tried. Especially when it is wet, it looks a right mess down there.

Maybe I am sounding a bit like King Canute or Victor Meldrew in  the sitcom "One Foot In The Grave" but I don't care. I know there are much more important things to think about than a strip of grass but I am going to continue caring for that grass as long as I live here.

I was out there this morning giving it its second haircut of the year. I also do next door's strip.

Things I didn't cover in this post were litter, shitting dogs, arguments with car drivers, polite notes on windscreens, a letter from the council instructing me to remove my little white stakes, buying turf to repair damage, sowing grass seeds, using weed killer to remove kerbstone weeds, conversations with supportive neighbours and passers-by, putting grass cuttings in the wheelie bin, making signs like the one below - following the removal of the old tree. In my defence I would argue that I am caring for the environment - our immediate environment.

Written in blood

19 comments:

  1. Last spring, I was visiting a coastal town on the east side of our country and went to park along a "verge" as you call them. I was looking at signs to make sure it was legal to park there and the sidewall of my tire rubbed the curb. Only this curb was made from stones and the one I rubbed against had a really sharp point on it that cut into the sidewall and flattened my tire.

    I think you get why I am telling you this anecdotal story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmm... I will have to look into hidden sharp points. I wonder if can order some through Amazon.

      Delete
  2. I read today that we have lost 60% of our flying insects in the last 20 years. How sad because this will affect birds etc who rely on them. Therefore it makes sense to protect any bit of land that may harbour grubs etc, I say well done and up anyone who says the opposite.
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your support and understanding Mrs C.

      Delete
  3. Where I live we call them "parkways" and we get to pick the tree that the city plants there (they give us a list to choose from). We also have a higher curb so cars don't pull up on the grass. Sometimes they only allow parking on one side if the street is narrow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Installing higher kerbs would have been a good solution when the council's contractors were resurfacing our local roads. I raised this with them but they had deaf ears.

      Delete
  4. Ah, but the car driver is King in our world. He may park wheresoever he wishes, especially if he owns a nice, big, shiny gas guzzler.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Women drivers can be equally culpable JayCee.

      Delete
  5. Correct me if I am wrong YP. But isn't a tree lined road called an Avenue? It's good that you keep your verge looking like Centre Court at Wimbledon or a snooker table at the Crucible where you reside.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Verge was a new word for me, but, yes, why people think it's a parking spot is beyinbd me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12:15 am

    I think it is a case of, "There are two types of people in this world...".

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are being a responsible citizen. We need many more people to be responsible for the environment and the neighborhood.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm glad the tree was replaced, albeit with an exotic.
    Twenty years ago a whole street full of mature Tallow wood trees near us was cut down because people didn't like them dropping twigs.
    They were replaced but only one replacement survives. I'm still mad about it

    ReplyDelete
  10. How much blood did it take to write that sign? My poor patch of grass had deep ruts in it from cars parking on it in winter, but now the whole patch has compacted soil they're not so noticeable.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Too many people own too many cars. And most of the time, those cars are not taking their owners from A to B, but just stand around, taking up precious space that would be put to much better use covered in plants.
    In my town, we now have parking fees in most residential areas. The council wants to make people use those garages and drives they have the way they were intended for, instead of filling them with clutter they take out once a year (if ever).

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your grass looks healthy and well cared for, YP - you've done a good job at tending it. I'm pleased to see that the new tree has been planted, and supported, properly - often they are planted with just one thin stake and a plastic tie for support.
    Look forward to seeing a photo when the tree flowers - as it matures it should be quite spectacular.
    Will anything stop determined parking?

    ReplyDelete
  13. I like Ed's idea:)

    Why are people parking on the grass? Who thinks that's ok? Probably the same sort who think it's ok to gun their diesel truck as the turn the corner and drive by our house. Assholes.

    Your grass does look nice though.

    ReplyDelete
  14. We so identify with your pain. We also admired what this guy (https://ronfinley.com/) did with derelict verges in his part of LA. It might not suit a leafy suburb of England but it certainly changed neighbourhoods where he lives.

    ReplyDelete
  15. They look nice, but they sound like a lot of work! In our neighborhood the "pavements" go right to the edge of the street, although there are occasional square or rectangular openings for street trees. (No real grass in them, though -- just weeds.)

    ReplyDelete

Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

Most Visits