Sandford On Thames, Saturday 21st of January 2023

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Todays blog was written by Eleanor D

This was a new site for us. We had come to Sandford-on-Thames at the request of Peter Addyman, Chairman of the Parish Council. They are planning a community orchard next to the village hall and we were there to plant a hedge along the new boundary fence.

It was a cold, frosty day with a lingering fog, which didn’t lift all morning. Despite this, fifteen hardy Green Gymmers turned out to tackle the task.

The site had been well prepared, marked out in 10 metre sections with 700 plants consisting of hawthorn, hazel, blackthorn, dogwood and dog rose, 70 for each section.

We were afraid that the ground might prove too frozen to get a spade in, but apart from a section at the top end, we managed it with some vigorous digging. Working in pairs, we planted the whips in a zig zag pattern and supported them with canes and protective plastic tubes.

We warmed up with our hot drinks during the break and then set to work again. We were pleased with what we had achieved by the end of the morning and will be interested to see how the hedge fares in the next few years.

a happy bunch

 

Instructions on hedge planting!

the whips to be planted

starting to plant the whips

getting on with it!



tea time

continue with planting after tea break



all done!

packing up and chatting

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