On arrival at the Ock Walk, we found that the Town Council contractors had been
busy chopping down willow trees close to the river bank, presumably because they
were dangerous. They had left a terrible mess and the ground was churned up by
tyres. Part of the woodchip path, which we had only repaired and relaid in
September was also damaged. We can only hope that they are going to come back
and clear up.
Our task this week was to clear nettles and plant crocuses
around the memorial tree and wood anemones, wild garlic and bluebells in some
other cleared patches. The first part of the morning was spent slashing and
uprooting nettles, which was hard work, but much appreciated by the local
robin.
At the tea break we enjoyed a delicious fruit cake, made by Dieuwke to
celebrate one whole year at Green Gym. We then planted the bulbs and corms in
the cleared patches and cleared leaves from around some trees so we could
scatter bluebell seeds. Unlike the bulbs and corms, which we hope to see
flowering in the Spring, the seeds will take four or five years to flower.
There was also time to revisit the trees, oak, beech, silver birch, rowan
and cherry, which we had planted in January 2011, and clear some nettles from
around them. We were pleased to see that most of them are doing well.
-Eleanor
 |
tea break! |
 |
clearing around Chris's memorial tree |
 |
Eleanor hard at work |