Who is the man behind the shrub ?

[Bagpuss]

Saw this in the news today and had a chuckle

The question is, is shrub man on here ????

Human Shrub Replanting Tubs In Colchester With Flowers After They Became Overgrown With Weeds | UK News | Sky News

[kirsty b]

Is it that Wagland fella?? He's in Colchester.

THats a nice little story though, really hope the local authority don't dig up what he's done, and only replace plants in ones that are still overgrown.

[OllieMartin]

I love stories like this. They always show how completely humourless councils are, they should actively encourage this kind of behaviour not slate it as "misguided, as the tubs will be replanted next month".
Councils ought to allow local residents to plant out these sites, thus saving them money and creating a community spirit. It would simply require someone to take charge and someone else to ensure that a standard is maintained.

[FionaH]

What a hero

[pipscariad]

Great story! But how on earth is he able to see what he is doing.....?????

[taff]

I thought it was completely British to do this kind of thing. Good on him.

[vikkib]

I haven't spotted him yet... must keep my eyes open!

Just thought... Iamhanuman is a fellow Colchester dweller and he has been strangely absent recently... sighting other commitments... hmmmmm!

[HayleyB]

I bet It's The Stig in camo

[Pumpkin Becki]

What a good guy! Boo Hiss to Colchester Council - they'll never win best town/city if they don't maintain their planters. I often look at ours in the village and think 'I'd love to just prune that, or pull out that weed...'

[Bagpuss]

I can't believe the reaction of the council myself. I'd love it if we had our own shrub man in my local area. Surely by looking after the town, it gives everyone a more pleasant local environment for people to live in, and encourage people to think before they decide to spit / throw rubbish / chewing gum on the floor

[SueA]

More power to his elbow! Good man/shrub, keep up the good work!
I was tempted to go & weed a traffic island near us the other week, it has roses & a few other plants but was overgrown with rosebay willowherb & other weeds. I said to O.H. 'why can't they just pull the weeds out of that?', then answered myself with 'issues about health & safety as it's the middle of a busy traffic island etc.' They must have heard me though because a couple of days later it had been weeded, or maybe our own 'shrubman' round here did it?

[Pumpkin Becki]

Our council 'strimmer operator' got into trouble for strimming a roundabout just out side the village as it has wild bee orchids growing on it, he felled the lot!!

[HayleyB]

You shoulda heard the palavar over a black cat being put onto the Black Cat Roundabout (A1) a couple of years ago. The council tried to pull it up but they didn't know that it was firmly concreted......... When it was taken away a new one replaced it pronto by the Covert Black Catters.

However, when the new roundabout went in during the bypass build the council conceded to allowing the Black Cat.

[SarzWix]

Brilliant!
The GYO offices are in Colchester too...

[Pumpkin Becki]

So maybe it is Paul Wagland doing guerilla gardening...or maybe its Danno? The plot thickens.