Elizabeth Daryush Memorial Garden, Boars Hill, 11th March 2017

By Andrew -
The latest of our sessions working with the Oxford Preservation Trust (OPT) saw us return to the Elizabeth Daryush Memorial Garden at Boars Hill for the first time this year.  It was another good turn-out of Green Gymmers, with numbers boosted by OPT volunteers under the expert guidance of the organisation's land officer, Rachel Sanderson.

 Once we had arrived, parked our vehicles in the assigned locations and transported tools and tea-kit to the garden itself, we were taken on a short tour outlining the many and varied tasks on offer.  Both Rachel and Green Gym leader, James explained in a good level of detail what was to be done.  We then divided up and set to it!

 Three small trees needed felling, and then chopping into sections to be used as fencing material to block off a gap in the fence at a southern corner of the site.  Elsewhere, some large patches of brambles needed clearing, some bracken needed cutting back and other general tidying jobs were assigned.

 Many daffodils were in flower during our visit, giving a glorious burst of colour.  We had hoped to see some frog spawn in the pond here, but there were reports of mallard ducks having got to it first.  We did at least catch sight of a mature frog in the shallows, so perhaps all is not lost!

 Now that spring is more or less upon us, we're unlikely to be working here again until the autumn, for fear of disturbing the wildlife.  We will however return to Boars Hill - this time to Abrahams Wood in around a month's time.
-Andrew
The group meet by the Ridgeway layby. 

Bird feeders are replenished before we begin.

James and Rachel take us on a tour of the site.

One of the daffodil patches.

Graham and Mark fell a small tree.

The felled trees are used to block a gap in the fence in the corner of the field.

A small animal skull hidden amongst the brambles.

Lesley lops some brambles.

A patch of cleared bracken beside one of the garden's benches.

Kevin liberates a tree from the brambles.

Margaret and Carolyn clear tree debris away from the daffodils.

Moss and an ear fungus growing on an elder tree.

A large patch of cleared brambles.

Robert mid-bramble clearance.

Across the pond and down the field.

A frog spotted in the pond!

Session's end.

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