This evening we headed to our sponsored riverside plot at the Three Pigeons. We go every month but this one was different as we were saying goodbye to a very special GoodGym Richmond member: Anita

Anita has been a member since 2017, was the first Richmond member to hit 500 good deeds and is already 150 beyond that. Beyond how much Anita has done for the community, she has been instrumental in the taking on, designing, leveling up and maintaining of our riverside plot. On task nights that means instructions with military precision but behind the scenes there has been even more work, liasing with the council, getting plant donations, planning task nights to make the most of them, and single-handedly looking after the area through drought periods and special events.

Although there is sadness at Anita's leaving as she heads off to an exciting new chapter in Swansea, the evening was a celebration of all that Anita has done - including her signature tasks: watering from the river and weeding with table knives! You can see more of what we got up to here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOX_wlTCBPT/?igsh=cDYxanUzbm43eXJ5

❤️Thank you so much Anita, from all of us and everyone who has walked past the arcade and Three Pigeons ans enjoyed the results of her hard work. ❤️

An astonishing amount of planting and a little bit of ‘watering in’ packed into this Monday lunchtime Buccleuch Gardens mission. All the new plants were sourced for free, mainly by division from established perennial plants.

Woodruff around the benches at the far end of the Arcade;

Campanula in sunny/crevassed spots in the Arcade rockery and beside some of the benches;

Stachys, divided from where it is thriving in Arcade Rockery, relocated to more than a dozen sunny spots including empty spots in the Rockery and between three benches.

...... keep a wider variety of plants alive during really dry weather, promoting better biodiversity.

More watering, tonight, just the Three Pigeons Plot and the Arcade, plus a bit of weeding out of plane tree saplings and thistles. Great to see how much happier and healthier some of the plants are looking after a few watering missions.

And a huge 'thank you' to the wonderful gentleman who offered to help out during his daily evening walk and has now started to dead-head the stachys in the Arcade Rockery.

Keep plants alive in dry weather. ( but access to water is essential).

Evening watering in Buccleuch Gardens .

Unfortunately additional watering of the new wildflower beds at St Mary’s Church didn’t happen as the handle of the outside tap skittered away and disappeared into the darkness before any water could be drawn .

..... help young plants establish deeper roots and thrive and ensure that older plants that are less drought tolerant survive.

…… keep our GG Richmond sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens on the Thames Path blooming and beautiful.