Police are investigating reports of a phantom gardener who has been mysteriously pruning plants without permission.
The rogue green-fingered fanatic has been secretly hacking shrubs at parks and doing a "proper job".
There are concerns the phantom gardener could be acting maliciously and selling the foliage cuttings on as flower displays.
Andy Bull at Memorial Gardens in Crawley town Credit: SWNS These plants and shrubs have really been hit back hard and all of the cuttings have been taken away.
Whoever has been doing this has been using proper equipment and clearing up after themselves.
That is what partly makes it so bizarre and has left us baffled.
We can't be certain if this person is acting maliciously to get the foliage cuttings to sell on as flower displays or for propagation.
Chris Threader, Parks Manager Chris, who runs Memorial Gardens which has been hit, said:
But, even if they aren't, the problem is that these plants are being cut at the wrong time of year so they are not doing us a favour.
If they had delicately trimmed the head of the plants and shrubs we may not have noticed but some of the shrubs have been hacked right back down to the ground.
I have worked for the council for about 20 years, one of my colleagues has been here even longer, and neither of us have known anything like this.
We've had branches taken down from trees and flower beds dug up but on those occasions the remains were either dumped or thrown about.
There has never been a phantom gardener before who has come in after we have finished our shifts.
Chris Threader, Parks Manager Chris said while he understands it may appear strange to report the phantom gardener to police, his team are worried if the unwanted pruning continues.
Our concern is that if we don't speak out now the problem could go on and on and escalate.
A lot of work goes into designing the gardens, based on when different plants flower and look their best.
This misguided person has already had a negative impact and will affect how the gardens look in future seasons.
It could take a long time for the plants and shrubs which have been damaged to grow back.
If we were to have a cold, frosty spell there could be permanent damage.
Chris Threader, Parks Manager Sussex Police confirmed they were investigating.
Police have received a report of bushes and shrubs being cut without permission in Memorial Gardens.
The incident was reported at 2.14pm on February 1.
However, it is believed to have occurred sometime in the previous two weeks.
