Tivoli is pulling out all the stops to ensure that Fenland District Council’s parks and open spaces are looking their best after a month of warm weather and plenty of rainfall has seen a rapid spurt in grass growth across the District.

Over the last 30 years, climate change has not only increased the grass growing season by 24 days, but the rising temperatures and excessive rainfall is also expediting the rate of growth. Local Authorities up and down the country are facing major challenges as their teams fight to stay in control of grass cutting regimes.

In Fenland, six skilled seasonal operatives are being recruited by Tivoli to join the already 18 man strong team, increasing hours worked by an extra 270 each week and extending the rotas to include Saturdays. Extra specialist grass cutting equipment is also being introduced, including a Ransomes Batwing Rotary Mower which carries enhanced blades giving a better cut especially in tall thick grass over a wider cutting area and a Ransomes Parkway 3 Cylinder Mower which makes short work of wet, long grass and leaves a quality finish. Together with changes and efficiencies made to the rounds themselves, the Tivoli Fenland Team expect to make good progress in combating recent grass growth.

Tivoli staff are also busy planting in excess of 60,000 bedding plants throughout Wisbech, March and Chateris in time for the annual Anglia in Bloom competition in July which last year saw Fenland District Council win four gold, ten silver gilt, three silvers and a special award in every category. The planting takes place over the course of three full weeks in June and members of the public will soon see colourful blooms such as geraniums, lobelias, begonias and marigolds, gracing the parks and open spaces.

Similarly, special attention is focused at this time of the year on the cemeteries, where Tivoli teams are busy cutting the grass and tidying plots in time for Father’s Day. In order to ensure a superior finish in these sensitive areas, Tivoli is utilising a Kubota Cut and Collect Mower for both the District’s cemeteries and other high profile areas such as parks.

Phil Jones, Managing Director, Tivoli said “one thing you can guarantee every year is that grass will grow, how high depends on the amount of rain that falls and the amount of hours the sun shines. We take our responsibility very seriously at Tivoli and remain committed to ensuring a high standard of service delivery is maintained across the Fenland District. Tivoli has injected further investment into the Fenland contract in terms of both equipment and people in order to counteract the recent spurt in grass growth and ensure that the District’s parks and open spaces continue to look their best”.