A Good Tree-Planting Day

Dominic, Clara, Peter, Sol , Kacey and Sheila gathered at Ockwell's Park for our first tree-planting season of the season. After arming ourselves with spades, we met up with Ranger Tom and set off for the planting site. The ground was extrememy wet and boggy, so we had to tread carefully. Once we got to the site, Tom explained what needed doing - the whips were heeled into the ground waiting for us, and our task was to plant them around the inside perimeter of the fence, securing guards round them supported by canes. . There were several different species to plant - hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, dog rose and dogwood. Tom left us to it, to go to his next task. No sooner had we set to work, and I had just commented that we were lucky tht the rain had stopped, when the heavens opened and we all got a good soaking. Luckily we were all dressed, to be prepared for the rain. The weather soon dried up, though. Planting was easy as the ground was so soft, and we completed planting along one side of the square, and started on the next. By the end of the session we had planted about 150 whips, used all of the tree guards, and re-purposed some old ones. We also cleared some of the existing tree guards of grass which had grown up the inside, and was competing with the trees. It was great to see so many of the trees planted in previous years, thriving. As we made our way back, Sol commented what a good tree-planting day it had been, and I think we all agreed! Looking forward to an equally successful second session tomorrow