Ms L takes great pleasure in the pretty shrubs surrounding her home – a very cool, council-owned eco-house – but not when the branches get so tall that their movement triggers her security lights on windy nights. Using a step ladder, I was able to neaten the tops of all the shrubs, then I loaded the trimmings into a garden waste bin for composting. This was a quick and relatively easy task so there was time before I left for Ms L to show me the environmentally-friendly features of her home, including solar panels and large double-glazed windows to reduce energy usage from heating and lighting. As a bonus, I was happy to bring away a few of the pruned stems with colourful leaves for a vase in my own home!