Annual Picnic - Elizabeth Daryush Memorial Garden, Boars Hill - Saturday, 9 September 2023

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This week's blog is written by Kevin with photos by Kevin and Sally.

The Annual Green Gym picnic was postponed from the end of August until this weekend as lots of people were unable to attend.

As the original location Wittenham Clumps lacks shade, because of the high temperatures, a last minute vote was taken to change the venue to Boars Hill at the Elizabeth Daryush Memorial Garden, with its lovely shady sweet chestnut tree to sit under next to the pond. I think this garden is one of the loveliest places for the  Green Gym to work on, so it felt fitting the we should come back and spend time just enjoying it and we weren't even tempted to rake the newly cut meadow, but just relax and enjoy the day and each other's company.

We had a good attendance of 12 members bringing with them a delicious assortment of savoury and sweet food.  Once everybody had arrived and decamped, set up the tables and chairs and spread the tablecloth, the usual procedure is to go for a short stroll before lunch. So it was decided to head to the Signal Elm with its views of Oxford, mentioned in a poem by Matthew Arnold (although the tree today is an Oak!).  Thankfully, the track to the field was well shaded with a hint of a breeze to take the temperature down by a few degrees.  It was only the last 50 or so metres to the Oak was open to the sun and stunning view of the colleges, churches and cranes of Oxford.  (We thought that the cranes almost deserve listing as they seem to be a permanent feature of the Oxford skyline these days!)

On returning, those that had stayed to guard the food from any inquisitive dogs and possible dog walkers hadn't been tempted to start of the lunch and once the tasty spread had been set, we didn't need encouragement to try what was on offer including some delicious quiche, salads and three tempting homemade cakes by Eleanor and Michele.

We started packing up at about 2.00-ish and everyone agreed it had been one of our best picnics - a very convivial and jolly time was had by all!

Graham and Carolyn search for the pond

The pond

Our picnic spot.  Perfick, as Pa Larkin would have said!

Acorns

Our stroll through dappled shade to the Signal Elm

The Signal Elm, which is actually an oak, possibly because the original succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease

Or should it be called The Hollow Oak?

The dreaming spires and cranes of Oxford

The dreaming spires

Our spread

And there's more to come ...!

What a feast!

Everyone tucking in

Lovely to see the broom flourishing after cutting back the trees to give it space

The woodland sage, an acid grassland plant, is burgeoning now following clearing of bramble.  There is relatively little acid grassland in Oxfordshire so it is great to see it doing well here

The meadow had been cut and looked glorious under the blue sky.  
























































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