An Aberystwyth-based former Gardeners’ World presenter is calling for an overhaul of council cutting regimes after beloved family poppies were cut down outside her home.

In mid-August Alys Fowler found the poppies she had deliberately planted outside her home to hide the unattractive gutter pipes had been chopped down by council workers.

Not even the seed heads remained, meaning the author couldn’t save them to sow next year.

The seeds had come from her father-in-law's English garden, who now lives in Australia. Rather than hitting out at Ceredigion County Council or the North Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency which are responsible for road maintenance, Fowler is calling for a wider overhaul of practices by authorities to change the timing and severity of trimming and weeding to take into account insect lifecycles and biodiversity.

This follows the loss of over half of flying insect numbers in the UK over the last 20 years due to rising temperatures and fragmented habitats.

In an Instagram post, Fowler: “The utter stupidity of this.

“Thanks, council, for ripping up my poppies, for cutting the verge when the nettles had caterpillars all over them and the plantains had ladybird larvae, and for taking out the gutter weed which did a huge job in slowing down the pooling of stormwater, so we didn’t get soaked when cars drove too fast in the rain.

“I will deduct an appropriate amount from my council tax for these ecosystem services you ruined.” Adding to her post, she said to the Cambrian News: “Although I was pleased to see the council using mechanical means rather than spraying, I was so disappointed that there wasn’t more care taken.

“The opium poppies by our front door were next to our flower boxes, the whole thing shouted, 'We like growing flowers'.

“In the verges they cut around Llanbadarn there were also butterfly caterpillars on the nettles and hundreds of native ladybird larvae.

“I tried to relocate as many as I could before they got cut, but I think it is time for the tender to be relooked at.

“There needs to be a biodiversity assessment before blanket cutting.

“We have lost 60 per cent of our flying insects in the UK and we need to cut our verges and weed with much more care, so that we are not destroying necessary habitats by mistake."

Research suggests pesticides and fertilisers are related to the loss of insect life, while manicured lawns favour ‘pest’ insects disproportionately.

A 2022 study found reducing the frequency of lawn mowing can have a positive effect both on the number and diversity of insect species.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Routine maintenance has recently been carried out by the Council on our behalf on the A44 at Llanbadarn.

“This is necessary to ensure these areas are either kept safe or function properly.

“In line with our commitment to preserving biodiversity on our roads network, we are working with the Council to ensure the removal of vegetation is kept to a minimum.”