With half the doors open on this year's advent calendar, it was time to give Springbank Road Community Gardens a GoodGym pre-Christmas makeover!

With nature having temporarily gained an advantage in recent weeks, the group began by clearing unwanted growth from the various beds. This was followed by maintenance of the plants to remain, including the pruning back of a showpiece rose plus the unearthing and division of some of the more prodigious growers, ready for replanting in separate locations.

Lastly it was time to plant anew for next year. Alongside dozens of bulbs ready for burying, Anne-Marie took on and (eventually) defeated a particularly stubborn specimen who had outgrown their pot and required a LOT of coaxing toward freedom and rehoming!

It was a beautiful end-of-summer day at Wildcat Wilderness today, as 8 volunteers arrived onsite to once again help with clearing a space for an outdoor classroom. It hasn't rained for a while so the ground was a little too hard to dig, but we did our very best. After helping to water the vegetables in the garden first, we headed over to the orchard area and soon got stuck in with clearing away the weeds and brambles. A couple of stubborn bits of old carpet were no match for us and they were soon removed and put on the rubbish pile, disturbing a huge colony of ants in the process. Oli continued his battle with the longest pipeline ever seen - after 2 weeks of digging we still haven't found either end to it! The search will continue next time!

As a treat at the end of the session, we had a go at using the Wilderness's new pressing machine, and pressed some of the grapes from the vine that was uncovered just a few weeks ago onsite. It made a delicious, bright pink juice which went down very nicely! See you next time!