The weather was not too kind, so we didn't have many volunteers at Ray Mill Island today. I opened up the shed area for 2 D of E students who had a task to repair some signs. Meanwhile I weeded an area which is destined to have some new planting.

Goodgym duty today was continuing to weed the winter heliotrope from the main bed and rockery without stepping foot on the rockery.

There was plenty of it encroaching onto the path to tackle and it was very therapeutic listening to the water from the fountain trickling and the geese and ducks quacking.

Mick, Meggie and Sheila spent a peaceful afternoon at Ray Mill Island, watering the newly-planted areas and weeding out the rampant winter heliotrope. Mick also fashioned a plant retainer out of dogwood stems to hold back the Japanese anenome. It was lovely to get lots of positive comments from appreciative passers-by

Anne Laure and Jen were tasked with clearing all the 'woody bits' from the dry hedge zone, adding them to the dry hedge and finishing off by adding the teasles for decoration.

Meanwhile Nivi supervised the work going on in the nursery area by the DofE volunteers and captured everyone's efforts for social media.

Work continues to rid the beds on Ray Mill Island of the dreaded winter heliotrope and replace it with something more interesting and wildlife-friendly. Mick and Sheila joined other volunteers digging out the heliotrope and replacing it with donated plants. Mick also tried his hand at fashioning a plant support out of dogwood stems to keep a Spirea from overhanging the path. And a pretty good job he made of it too - every day is a learning day!

Sheila and I were outnumbered by non GG volunteer Friends of Ray Mill Island today. Whilst Sheila got stuck in to sorting the donated plants by type, I joined a small team moving wooden boards from the paddleboarders round to the nursery.

Next we all relocated to the kiosk and rockery areas where Shoshan had placed plants in pots ready for us to plant them in the ground and water them. With a bit of weeding the Heliotrope it was a very green fingered session.