Trans-PLANT-ation

In 2016, 21 runners started GoodGym Ealing with a gardening-themed group run. Seven years and 6,860 good deeds later, we set off for an anniversary task that involved countless plants!

We gathered at Bodyline Studios, just like the group seven years ago and welcomed a new joiner, Izak. What a fantastic time to get involved with GoodGym Ealing! 🎊 Izak, Harvey, Jenni (welcome back again! 🎉), Sevan, Steph and Kash did a warm-up before the run, heavily relying on completing seven reps of each exercise, while Madhan walked to the task. On the way, after the running group did a small loop around Ealing Common, they met Mike and Milly walking towards the destination. The final addition to the team was our Hammersmith friend Divya who, as usual, cycled to meet us.

We met Romina, Auberon and a couple of new people from Cultivate London at their brand-new site: Popesfield Allotments. The location is the youngest allotment in Ealing, opened just 2.5 weeks ago - quite the opposite of Northfields Allotments we visited in June, the oldest allotments in Ealing.

Cultivate has just moved to a new location and was establishing its new plant nursery. Our task for today was to move dozens of plant pots and arrange them on pallets, based on the plant classification:

• Native hedging
• Grasses
• Ferns
• Shrubs
• Trees
• Fruit trees

...and, most importantly...

• Herbaceous perennials.

We were dubious about the latest category. Some of us suspected it must have meant everything else or be a sophisticated name for weeds. Herbaceous perennials varieties ranged from oregano to lilies, and we couldn't figure out how they linked together. Luckily, Auberon and Romina were identifying plants for us before sending us to do the heavy lifting (or wheelbarrowing).

She said "tree" and gave me four! - Harvey

In an hour, we filled most of the space on the pallets, then had to rearrange some plants as we ran out of room for shrubs and grasses. A human chain we created to do that was super efficient, apart from the occasional twig-slap or a stab from a thorny tree. Prickly plant features haven't discouraged us, and neither did the drizzle that kept accompanying us during the run and the task.

We finished the task with a group photo (spot two items that someone posed with at Cultivate's old location in June!) then used the remaining energy to chase Divya on his bike to the pub for the birthday cake and quiz!