Rabat residents have written to the Office of the Prime Minister objecting to landscaping works in part of Howard Garden.

They are insisting that the stretch be restored to its original state.

The job was carried out by a group of French students last week and saw a part of the garden’s hedge removed and covered in white gravel.

This sparked a barrage of comments on social media with more than 500 residents and garden lovers taking to Facebook to lament the unwelcome facelift.

On a Facebook group called People Who Like Or Live In Rabat, Mary Fisher yesterday wrote: “I honestly can’t believe this. I cannot believe that anybody in their right senses would give permission for this.”

I honestly can’t believe this. I cannot believe that anybody in their right senses would give permission for this

The Mdina local council gave the go ahead and even provided the French gardening students with tools to carry out the works.

Attempts to contact Mdina mayor Peter Dei Conti Sant Manduca yesterday provided fruitless.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Christopher Farrugia said they had approached the Mdina local council but received no feedback after several attempts.

He said the residents felt the works did not fit in with the garden’s “classical British aesthetics”.

Flora expert Joe Sultana was among those signing the letter. He said the removed hedge used to act as a buffer from the continuous car exhaust fumes and was vital in protecting the garden’s foliage.

This was further compounded when the heavy gravel was laid over the soil.

Mr Sultana said this could pose a risk to many of the garden’s trees.

The Prime Minister’s private secretary, Sandro Craus, accepted the letter on the steps of Auberge de Castille.

Asked what action would be taken, he said the government would be discussing the issue with experts before making any decisions.