24 Feb 2026

Council cost cutting prompts resident to create urban meadow

From Checkpoint, 4:24 pm on 24 February 2026

A council cost cutting decision has resulted in a local attraction. When the Horowhenua District Council stopped mowing residential berms to save money, it made Levin resident Louise McCarthy very grumpy. She refused to cut the grass herself and declined neighbours offers to trim it too, until she decided to transform the berm into an urban meadow full of wildflowers. Louise McCarthy spoke to Lisa Owen.