Wednesday 8th April 2026 - Mountbatten Hospice, Newport GG #1075

 Terry's photos

Starting to clear the overgrown area

Clearing bramble in the car park

All clear - well done!

Last visited in August 2024, we returned this week to the Mountbatten Isle of Wight Hospice.  The GG team split into two groups with one group working in the car park removing the overhanging brambles from the boundary wall, preventing the brambles from encroaching into the parking spaces.

The second group were working on a very challenging area adjacent to the buildings.  This area had become overgrown with mature shrubs and was looking very tired and shabby.  The plan was to clear it completely and prepare it for the Mountbatten garden team to grow flowers for cutting.  The stumps of the shrubs required serious attention from mattock wielding GG-ers.  Ivy also had to be pulled up from the ground and off the walls. 

GG-ers enjoyed the fabulous weather today – the warmest day of the year so far and a welcome change in conditions.

Thank you to Mark for funding the session (and the refreshments) and to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 1st April 2026 - Flowers Brook, Ventnor GG #1074

 Terry's photos

Black poplar (Populus nigra) flowers

We returned this week to lovely Flowers Brook to help the volunteers from the Ventnor Enhancement Fund prepare the site for the forthcoming  Ventnor Easter Duck Race.

We helped to clear the brook of any encroaching plants and cut back a few areas along the bank so that the brook can be seen more clearly.  At the bottom of the brook adjacent to the pool a few of the team cut back the Russian vine which is always threatening to overtake the area.  After tea break we worked along the path which goes to Steephill Cove cutting back the brambles and old man’s beard that had grown over and along the handrail. 

This beautiful site was very busy today and there was a constant stream of families and dog walkers enjoying the area, some of whom expressed an interest in our efforts which is always appreciated.

Thank you to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 25th March 2026 - Grow Gurnard & Cockleton Meadow, Gurnard GG #1073

 Terry's photos

It was a return to Grow Gurnard this week to continue with the development of this site.  The GG team was scattered far and wide.  A few people worked on clearing the concrete path at the bottom of the site so that it can be developed to improve the disabled access.  Another group worked along the hedge line removing bramble and tidying the area so that the space can be used for a tree nursery.  Others were on their hands and knees working along the young whips – removing encroaching grass and weeds and giving the whips space to grow.  Further vegetable beds were created and some of the team barrowed large quantities of manure onto the beds to prepare them for sowing.  The day stayed fine and dry but with a nippy wind.

Thank you to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 18th March 2026 - Wellow Millennium Green, Wellow Top Road, Wellow. GG #1072

 New site again this week, this time in the West Wight as we landed at The Wellow Millennium Green to do our thing. This, as the name implies, is a green space which was first earmarked around 26 years ago, in fact it was gifted to the community in 1998. Some of the beds created back then were in need of some attention and we were asked to give that today. So some heavy pruning of shrubs required, giving light to the soil once more, and the creation of a habitat pile to accommodate the arisings. 

Local children had been asked by the lovely volunteers who run the site, what they'd like to see planted in the beds. Plants to attract butterflies was the popular answer apparently. Good news eh! 

Of course I might just mention it isn't food (nectar) for the adult butterflies which is necessarily crucial, what is more important is to get the mix of native planting right for their caterpillars, otherwise you don't get the adults. The site has plenty of some of these around and there is a great ethos to improve things further. We have given some help in the form of guidance on planting too. 

In addition to the beds we raked a small area in preparation for some wild meadow seeds. 

The sun shone down and really made the day a proper spring day! Glorious! See too those cowslips below!

Terry's pics

Before photo

after photo

Mark's photos

moth pupa