Stars and Strifes

A beautiful evening by the riverside awaited GoodGym Richmond at the plot we sponsor at Buccleuch Gardens. Starting at the Tap Tavern, the group welcomed Ian for his first GoodGym mission, and shared news on the upcoming packed diary of tasks and social races. A team of runners set off from the Tap to take in full evening sun views on the way, while others headed off as a walking group.

Task owner Anita was awaiting our arrival at the plot, where she had already been hard at work for some time. Anita was as efficient as ever ensuring that everyone had a job to do to maximise time:

• Spot-weeding the lawn with trusty dinner knives, the best tools for this particular job!

• 'Haloing’ around the tree in the lawn : removing weeds and grass cuttings in the halo and sharpening up the edges of the circle.

• Sweeping the Arcade and Arcade shuttering.

• Dead heading the stachys (but still leaving plenty for the bees).

• Weeding the rockery to remove ever-keen chickweed.

• Removing hypericum and other weeds growing out of the pointing in the wall below the Petersham Road bus stop.

• Watering and weeding around the new bench planting that we started in Big Green Week.

And on top of all of this work, we were able to find the time to admire the views of the setting sun over the river and the vibrant flowers that fill the riverbanks at the moment, the stunning Purple-loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

A light jog back to the Tap completed the session before monthly drinks at the pub to celebrate another month of good deeds and milestones.