Roadman, roadman, spare that flower...

Amazingly he (they) did.

Local social media was abuzz this morning with the news that verge cutting was underway - despite the fact that the local council had agreed to suspend it until July when the main wild flowering season is over.

The trouble is, this particular route is a Trunk Road and therefore under a separate jurisdiction, although the county council carry out the work.

I went to have a look at my own particular stretch  and found that the cutting has been, well - selective. Verges some distance either side of entrances and gateways have  been mowed but elsewhere left untouched, and the precious Pembrokeshire hedge banks which will be  riot of ferns, foxgloves and red campion any day now, have not been shaved this time. Best of all, the mower stopped just short of this pair of early purple orchids  and I don't think that was simply by chance. I suspect that the public protestations over razing our roadside flora has succeeded in changing the approach. Let's hope so.