A team of GoodGymers headed to John Innes Park today expecting to tackle the tricky job of digging out some bamboo. A change of plan meant a slightly less exhausting hour as we instead got stuck into weeding flower beds, which were in need of a good tidy-up.

It just goes to show that at GoodGym, you have to be ready to go with the grow!

From alkanet to dandelions, and a few things we couldn't identify, the team dug in to help get the flower beds looking much neater, helping to make John Innes Park bloom a little brighter.

Four GoodGymers joined the Friends of John Innes Park this morning for their monthly gardening session. With recent rain taking care of the watering, we focused on lavender trimming, alkanet removal - and the highly scientific process of whacking dried poppy heads to help next year's flowers spread their seed.

We'll be back next month for a concerted attack on the bamboo. Until then, we’ll be binge-watching giant panda documentaries as tactical research…

With our usual task leader Jo away this week, three GoodGymmers stepped up to help the Friends of John Innes Park with some critical watering. The ongoing heatwave has been hard on the gardens, and with a new hosepipe ban in force, there was no choice but to do it the old-fashioned way!

Armed with nothing but watering cans, we set about watering the key plants and trees (and discovered geraniums are amazingly hardy, even in drought). The GoodGym team also filled and refilled the park's 150L bowser numerous times, towing it to the watering can brigade as a mobile tap.

So no Jo, but we moved plenty of H2O and made sure the park can continue to grow!

The team joined the Friends of John Innes Park for their monthly Friday session, to help with gardening jobs. We started by sprucing up the GoodGym garden area to keep it looking pristine. Then got stuck into watering including test-driving the park’s brand-new water bowser. We filled and emptied the tank three times over, delivering nearly 200 litres of water to very thirsty plants and trees across the park. Great job team!

Three GoodGymers were on hand to help the John Innes Society and the Friends of John Innes Park set up for their Music in the Park event on Sunday. We tackled the tasks of erecting gazebos, arranging chairs and carrying equipment, ensuing the audience could enjoy the fabulous Merton Concert Band perform in the beautiful surroundings of John Innes Park.

Fantastic work today! There is nothing quite as satisfying as looking at a freshly edged path and a neatly chopped-back tree - except, of course, taking a moment to admire a thriving GoodGym bed. Well done team and welcome to Emi and Lai on your first GoodGym session, we hope to see you again soon!