Ock Valley Walk, Town End, 3rd November 2012

By Andrew -
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

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