HAVING just read Elaine Attfield’s letter ‘Like jungle on our verges’ (Letters, June 4). I have only one short reply for her – please don’t be like that unless overgrown grass verges present a safety risk or conceal a focal attraction like a cultivated flower bed.

They are one of the few delights left in rural Dorset that comes free of charge for the indigenous population, who have grown up to appreciate beauty and our diversity of wildlife and flora.

On my frequent journeys using the Upton bypass I am constantly reminded of the jewels in our county’s crown. Marsh marigolds, meadow buttercups, hemlock, hogweed and cow parsley are prominent at this time of year.

But as the seasons move on, so does the variety of wild flowers queuing up to show off their colourful tapestry which not only benefits wildlife but also enriches our lives as well.

Our wildflower season is relatively short and in no time my attention swiftly moves on to noticing the ‘escapee’ cultivated varieties.

They often flower later and have managed to secure a welcomed foothold on an otherwise blank canvass.

MIKE FRY, Moorland Crescent, Upton