Garden Care Scheme
Fife Council does not provide a service for private garden care. Housing tenants may apply to join the Housing Services Garden Care Scheme, subject to eligibility criteria. Further information can be found on our Garden Care Scheme page.
The landscape of Fife is a major asset and as such is highly valued and requires to be maintained to the highest possible standards to enhance the overall visual impression of our green spaces. The areas maintained by the council have to be kept to a standard that reflects the priorities of our local communities and the resources available. Working positively with a range of partners we will endeavour to support a network of community activity that reflects the aspirations of Service providers and users.
The core services of the Grounds Maintenance Service include:
Grass-cutting
Grass is cut to an acceptable level of appearance at agreed programmed intervals between 10 and 14 days per cycle during the period April to October. It is expected that an acceptable level of grass clippings will be dispersed during the grass-cutting operation. (This will be influenced by the weather conditions and the type of ride on grass-cutting machinery in operation). As much as is practically possible, grass arisings will be removed from any hardstanding areas. Edges will be cut up to 3 times throughout the season.
Obstacles within grass areas, where required, are programmed to be cut up to 3 times between April and October. Spraying obstacles may be an alternative to cutting grass.
Areas planted with bulbs shall be allowed to flower and naturally die back before any cutting operations.
Where practical litter will be removed and disposed of before the commencement of any grass-cutting operations.
High amenity grass is cut more frequently, at intervals between 7 and 10 days per cycle during the period April to October. Edges and obstacles within high-amenity grass areas are also cut with hand-operated machinery up to six times during the grass-cutting season.
All grass arisings are removed immediately after cutting operations. Leaf removal is undertaken where heavy leaf fall is detrimental to grass conditions.
Grassland meadow areas are left to develop naturally throughout the growing season, from April to September. A single cut and lift of all meadow areas is undertaken between September and October. Grass arisings, where appropriate, are removed from the site and disposed of. Any grass pathways are cut evenly and to an acceptable level of appearance at intervals between 10 and 14 days per cycle during the period April to October.
Grass bankings and rough-cut areas are cut twice per year, from June to February, using appropriate mechanical grass-cutting machinery. Areas planted with bulbs are allowed to flower and naturally die back before any cutting operations. All grass arisings in these areas are left in situ.
Hedge pruning
Hedges have new growth cut back to the original size and shape of the hedge line during the period July to November.
All arisings are removed from the location and disposed of. Fast-growing hedges including Privet and Hawthorn have a second hedge prune programmed during the season.
Shrub bed maintenance
Shrub beds are kept tidy and free of weeds to an acceptable standard. Shrubs are pruned once annually by mechanical means during the period from November to March. Weeds are maintained by the use of a herbicide regime and the use of mulch material. Shrub beds receive a single clean-out of all detritus and litter during the period from November to March. Litter is programmed to be removed on two additional occasions throughout the year.
Wherever possible shrubs are pruned in a way that encourages lateral growth. The removal of dead or dying shrubs is undertaken on one occasion per year during the period from November to March.
Rose bed maintenance
Rose beds are kept tidy and free of weeds to an acceptable standard. Roses are pruned once in Spring, in accordance with best horticultural practice. A second prune is undertaken between October and February. Weeds are removed by hand or by a herbicide regime. The use of mulch is used as a weed suppressant wherever possible.
Herbaceous bed maintenance
Herbaceous beds shall be kept to an acceptable standard, throughout April to October.
Both hand weeding and mulch shall be used to suppress the visual appearance of weed growth. All beds shall have seasonal growth removed once per year between October and December. Where required, plants shall be lifted, separated and replanted to ensure good vegetative cover in the bed.
Herbicide application
Hardstanding areas (e.g. playgrounds, garage sites, footpaths, etc.) receive two herbicide applications per growing season between May and September, to kill visible weeds and manage weed/moss growth. Heavy weed/moss coverage may require removal by mechanical brushing or hand weeding before applying herbicide control.
Invasive plant species such as Japanese knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, and Giant Hogweed are managed as per Fife Council’s control strategies.
Formal bedding maintenance
Planting of formal flower beds is undertaken in accordance with accepted design proposals. Plants are planted with regular spacing and firmed into position. Beds are kept weed-free by hand weeding a maximum of four times between June and October. Plants are planted as per the planting density specified within accepted design proposals.
All annual planting material is removed from beds at the end of each planting season. Grass edges are neatly maintained by mechanical or hand-held edging shears, with a maximum of six cuts during the period June - October. Additional feeding is applied in granular form before the planting of summer formal bedding.
Use the form below if you need to contact us about a Grounds Maintenance issue:
