We work with HTS (Property & Environment) Limited to maintain Harlow’s green spaces.
We take care of the grass, hedges and shrubs in public places like parks, open spaces, road verges, and residential areas.
There are some areas of the town where Essex County Council, private landowners and housing developers are responsible for maintaining the grass.
You can get information on Essex County Council Grass cutting on their website.
Grass cutting
Most of the grass is cut on a continuous cycle between March and October, usually on a 2 to 3 week cycle.
In residential areas HTS usually have teams of 3 for grass cutting with:
- someone on a ride-on mower for the larger areas of grass
- someone with a strimmer to mow around trees, signposts and along fence lines
- someone with a blower to clear paths and blow grass back onto the grass verge
The teams work closely together, but there may be times when the strimming or path clearance isn’t completed right away – it might take a few hours after the main mowing is done.
Grass areas that have been planted with naturalising bulbs will be cut 6 to 8 weeks after the bulbs have flowered to allow sufficient time for the bulb to regain the necessary nutrients to ensure it will flower the following season. Normal mowing will then resume for the rest of the year.
We have some meadow grassland areas that are managed for wildlife. These areas are cut just once a year in late summer or early autumn when the wildflowers have set seed. We might cut a path to allow people to walk through the meadow without destroying valuable habitat.
Weather impact
If the summer is hot and dry the grass doesn’t grow as fast so we don’t need to cut it as often. During these times the HTS teams will help with other work to keep the town clean and tidy.
Because we look after so much grass, we have to cut it even when it is wet. After mowing the ground might appear a little smeared, but it will soon recover and look normal again. For safety reasons we do not cut grass on steep slopes when the ground is wet.
If we have a period of wet and warm weather, the grass will grow particularly fast. Cutting long grass is a slower process as the mowers have to work harder and the teams want to leave a tidy finish. We appreciate your patience if it takes a little longer to get around at these times.
Hedges and shrubs
Hedges and shrubs are pruned between November and February.
The HTS teams will check the hedges snd shrubs and if there are nesting birds at this time we will not normally carry out work. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is illegal to disturb, damage or destroy the site of a nesting bird.
Between June and September we will also cut back anything that blocks windows, paths, and roads.
Weather impact
If we have a period of wet and warm weather during the spring or summer all plants and grass will grow particularly fast. We appreciate your patience if it takes the teams a little longer to get around at those times.