GoodGym and MIND in Camden: Aloe, I Love You

4 runners headed out to Castlehaven’s Horticulture Hub today to join Nichola and the team get some new seedlings settled.

A new route…

It was a glorious Spring day when Cynthia, Neil and I left Camden Road for the haven around the corner that is Castlehaven. I was just about to take us via our usual route, a rather congested, not-so-scenic route, when Neil drew our attention to the fact there was a better way. And better it was. Neil expertly led us via locks and blossom-filled streets to Castelhaven’s horticultural hub.

S’all about the seedlings

Here, we were joined by fellow Healthy Minds member Paul, and expertly guided by task owner Nichola on how to separate dill from strawberry seeds (yes, as fiddly as it sounds), plant Inch Plant cuttings and re-pot baby aloes, all under the watchful eye of brilliant Castlehaven volunteer, Aras.

After finishing the original planting tasks early (well, it is a GoodGym event, what did you expect?), Cynthia and Neil headed outside for more re-potting, garden-watering and finished with a soil swan song-and-a-half – re-potting a vibrant verbena.

Paul, and I, on Team Aloe, completed our task in time too – Paul was expertly on quality control (“What’s wrong with that one?” “Not enough soil. I need to re-do.” “Humph.”) and most importantly, he headed up Project Pun (Me: What can we do with aloe? Paul: Hello, I Love You. Me: What, there’s a song called that? Paul: Er, yes, by, like, The DOORS?”. Paul proceeded to play said song, and the penny dropped - “Oh yeah, that.”). Paul proved to be a most tolerant team mate.

Getting our Spring sweat on

We then headed back to the Castlehaven Park and found a small, secluded spot surrounded by four trees (an ‘auspicious looking spot’, according to Paul). The team were ready for my fitness moves. After some hip mobility drills, they breezed onto static lunges, performed some tree push ups, led by Neil (“Look at Neil’s form, everyone, and copy – his back is flat.") before finishing with some plyometric squats, and two forms of oblique exercises. A waist-whittling session indeed. We then went our separate ways in the sunshine, pleased to have accomplished so much in the hub, and enjoyed such an industrious lunch hour.

GoodGym and Healthy Minds will next meet at Mind in Camden on Wednesday 1st May. The session runs from 12-1.30pm. Details can be found here.