On Tuesday afternoon, Area Activator Simon and new Goodgym runner Harish joined Single Homeless Project gardening expert Lorena for some lunch break planting and digging.

Two local gardeners were also on hand to help with strimming the long grass across the communal garden space at the back of the residents dorms. Our first task involved digging some holes in hard, dry ground to plant a collection of fruit trees (with fresh soil and compost). Fresh water and mulch was also added to help the little trees on their way! Following this, we then moved a few older trees, and replanted them on the brighter and sunnier side of the garden.

We were so happy to see that our previously printed lavender bushes were thriving since our last visit!

Area Activator Simon and John met up with Lorena from Single Homeless Project on Ashley Road Crouch Hill for a lunchtime gardening session in the resident's communal social space. Goodgym Islington have visited this lovely project many times last year during, and it was great to see our plants were growing strong after a warm summer.

Our two Goodgymmers were tasked with clearing a mass of overgrown branches and ivy out of a shared greenhouse space (revealing a lost lawn mower underneath!), and then weeding the beds next to the main pathway into the garden. The weather was a bit unpredictable, so we had to hunker down a few times to avoid some sudden downpours from Autumn showers. Perfect rainbow weather!

Within an hour, we both succeeded in clearing a great deal of the green overgrowth, and were able to fill a compost bin with new material.

We plan to return again in the near future, so watch this space!

David and Steve arrived for another installment of green-fingered helping out at one of the Single Homeless Project’s Islington locations. The gardens are looking great, and a hive of activity as areas are being tidied up ahead of a communal barbecue next week. Hopefully now that much of the ground work has been done, some of the clients living here will be tempted to try their hand at some therapeutic gardening!

Which brings us to why there is a guest third GoodGym t-shirt present in our photos. Lorena is the opportunities coordinator and resident gardening expert with SHP. She showed us around, handed out tools and had positioned lots of new potted plants that needed homes in the ground all over the garden. But she also loves the idea of GoodGym, and had signed up, got the t-shirt but has not yet signed up for a task. I’m pretty sure this counts :)

Steve hopped around from patch to patch, planting as he went. David saw a planting task for the patio area through from start to finish. And we all encountered frogs, slugs, snails and the biggest worm the three of us had ever seen.

This was a lovely, sunny and productive hour and before we knew it we were back on our way again, jogging in the sunshine. Stay tuned for another task with SHP soon!