Wed 28th March 2007 - Ventnor Botanical Gardens.

This week's Green Gym was at one of the best spots on the Isle of Wight - the Botanical Gardens at Ventnor. The weather was springlike, which encouraged a good attendance, needed for the tasks that we undertook....! The main job was to clear an area to the east of the main building - where the gardens share a boundry with the costal footpath. A huge overgrown tree (I think it was a unonimous..??? - please correct me if I am wrong!) was in the middle of the area, but it was surrounded with the usual undergrowth of bushes and brambles. The team soon ripped into the job in hand - with the "debris draggers" struggling to keep up with the "hackers". Such was the size of the main branches, we had to call in the services of the chain saw expert - see the picture above. All the removed material was put through the adjacent shredder and was used as mulch and pathway material. The numerous bushes in the immediate area were also treated to a spring trim.....to encourage growth.

Thanks, once again, to Trish and the gardeners for making our visit so enjoyable.......please book us again soon!

Wed 21st March 2007 - Sunnycrest Nursery Newchurch.

Today was the first day of spring and the weather, although cold, was spring-like.....with clear blue skies and lots of lovely sun. Our task was to help all our friends at Sunnycrest with a project that they are undertaking - the construction of a new garden area. The work today included the building of a "grass settee", removal of old tree stumps and the planting of a new hedge....not bad for 3 hours work...! Hopefully we will be invited to return to this wonderful site and help further with the garden work. Thanks to all for the hospitality shown.....

Wed 14th March 2007 - Kitbridge Farm.

Once again the Green Gym team were back at Kitbridge Farm - Newport. The task we were given this time was to clear around 25 metres of ditching that ran adjacent to a rather overgrown hedge line. The area had been mechanically "munched" recently but we had to remove the trees / shrubs that were either too big to be dealt with or had just been missed by the machinery. The session was well attended - perhaps due to the almost summer like weather..! Mark seemed very pleased with our progress and we achieved the task as briefed.

Dodnor / Riverside Car Park.

Those of you who walk dogs or use the cycle path down at Dodnor will have noticed a big change in the car park area. There has been a general tidy up...new picnic tables...a new footbridge....and most importantly ....lots of hedgelaying been done. This has been a joint project with the rangers / IoW College / and some Green Gym members. The GG members have been helping out on the odd days and the hedge is looking a lot better for the work done to date. We are hoping to finish up the hedge work on this coming Friday 9th March.....all Green Gymers are welcome.....!

Wed 7th March 2007 - Osborne House

This week we were back at Osborne House - continuing with the hedgelaying and coppicing. We had a good turnout of people for this popular venue and the weather was glorious....warm and sunny....! Good progress was made the the hedge laying......all one side of the road is now pleached and both ends have been staked and heathered. The overgrown woodland areas are looking much clearer and the coppiced material has been neatly stacked into nature piles. We will have to wait a while now as the hedgelaying season is coming to and end......so watch this space in the autumn for more news on this exciting project.