GoodGym Richmond’s Monday 11th November Group Run was a ‘second Monday’ task at our sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens.

Despite the cold and the dark evening we got a huge amount done: repatriating fencing; sweeping cleaning and cobweb dusting in the Arcade; strengthening the ‘twiggy barricades’; weeding and leaf removal on and around the Arcade lawns.

However the evening was really about celebrating Ken’s 100th ‘official’ GG Good Deed, although we know he has really done many more.

And we also salute his incredible input as a task provider to GG Richmond, inviting us to help with improving Petersham Common and teaching us about bats, hedge and fence building , horse troughs, planting, drainage, ecology, woodland management, haloing and so much more.

So we salute Ken Mackenzie. Environmental hero . Richmond’s Green king.

A quick task at our sponsored riverside plot at The Three Pigeons to take down the pumpkins that had been placed in the border, add them to our compost heap at Buccleuch Gardens and save the LED candles for another time! Job done!

Carving pumpkins and decorating The Arcade in Buccleuch Gardens for Halloween.

The Second Monday of the Month meant that GoodGym Richmond’s Group Run took us to our sponsored riverside plots in Buccleuch Gardens. Fantastic to have such a great squad of GG Richmond/ Buccleuch Gardens regulars including many who were involved when we first took on the task of transforming The Three Pigeons Plot back in September 2019, on GoodGym’s 10th ‘Super Saturday’ Anniversary and who helped to build our iconic Insect Hotel.

The task kicked off with 10 minutes of weeding around the perimeter of The Three Pigeons Plot before the whole GG Richmond squad headed towards The Arcade and split into teams to focus on the compost heap and rebuilding/strengthening two of the ‘twiggy barricades’ that deter people from stomping on the plants.

Thanks to Sam who led the Group Run from and then back to The Tap Tavern, where we had our Group social afterwards (and a shout out for the limited edition cider on tap at The Tap: Sea Witch Sticky Toffee Apple Cider).

The next GG Richmond ‘second Monday’ Group Run tasks in Buccleuch Gardens will be on Monday 11th November and Monday 9th December.

And if you are free anytime between 6-7pm on Wednesday 30th October, sign up and drop by for a special ‘Spook Night Mission’ in Buccleuch Gardens where we will be decorating The Arcade ready for Halloween.

Task preparation for our ‘Second Monday of the Month’ Group Run task at our sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens, Richmond. An opportunity to review the gardening work needed, plan tonight’s tasks and do a few things much easier to undertake in daylight such as litter picking and collecting fallen branches.

Amongst the litter picked was a traffic cone, something we will keep and use as a support for our GG flag and to slow cyclists down when we are drawing water from the Thames by the Three Pigeons Plot.

Second Monday of the month meant that, No Surprise, GoodGym Richmond were returning to their original Avant Garden Plot, The Three Pigeons, showing yet again that they have Got What it Takes to keep Buccleuch Gardens blooming and beautiful.

Preparing for Autumn, we were wielding secateurs to tidy the plot, diggin’ and weeding the perimeter and preparing for the Seasons of Wither. Pampas grass seed heads were removed and self-seeded St. John wort cut down. And at the Arcade, Lords of the Thighs JP and Chris wielded forks to turn our compost heap and dig out some rich organic matter to help with some late summer planting.

By now we were more than half way there and everyone chipped in to plant thyme and a selection of bargain-basement bedding plants (begonias, verbena and petunia) that will hopefully provide a splash of late summer colour for a few weeks.

The Three Pigeons Plot was looking Drop Dead Gorgeous by the time we finished. Around 8pm, as Darkness was falling, it was time to Draw the Line, clear up and run, cycle and Walk this Way back to the Tap Tavern (where the lime Deuces are Wild) for a quick GG social, before we all had to Head Home Tonight.

But we will be Back in the Saddle again soon, including a super Saturday on 14 September with our regular monthly GG Mission at Ham Lands at 10am https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/helping-the-happy-ham-landers-bd191a17-5b00-42da-ae77-5a8eed086ac4 plus an awesome Treasure Hunt late summer social at 2pm https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/end-of-summer-social.