Two GoodGymers attended our very first weekday gardening session in the gardens of Charlton House. Despite the hot weather, we rolled up our sleeves and got stuck into helping the Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society (CABAHS) maintain the beautiful gardens.

Our main task was cutting back the dried summer plants to prepare the beds for the next season’s planting, helping to make way for fresh new growth. We also tackled a variety of general gardening jobs, including watering the plants to keep everything thriving during the warm spell.

The heat certainly made itself known, but we braved the temperatures and kept going. Of course, no GoodGym task is complete without a chance to catch up, so we enjoyed a well-earned 30-minute break, chatting together and making the most of the social side of volunteering.

This was the first time this task has been listed on a weekday, and it’s the start of what we hope will be many more opportunities to support the fantastic CABAHS community.

Watch this space—there will be plenty more tasks coming up to help this great community. Until next time! 👋🏼😎 Cecilia D🍀 / Cedie/ Cici

A sunny Sunday saw Good Gym turn up at Charlton House to help set up the annual plant sale run by Charlton and Blackheath amateur horticultural society (CABAHS). The sale is a popular event and raises money for outdoor projects.

The volunteers were very excited to see the 'muscle' turn up, and 4 of us got down to business ably "assisted" by Caspar the cat. Tables and chairs needed to be assembled, but most of what was needed was moving hundreds of plants from their storage area behind the Old Pond garden to the peace garden where the sale was taking place, We were a super-efficient delivery line and before we knew it all the plants had been moved and the tables were all set up, well ahead of the planned start time of 11.00.

This was a lovely task and Good Gym really helped with getting things ready on time. And no doubt the sale would have been an incredible success.

Early on Sunday morning, two Goodgymers helped to set up for the CABAHS plant sale at Charlton House. As well as lots of plants, there was a spooky atmosphere with a ghost and skeleton trail! Jobs included setting up the tables, bringing out a huge array of plants, erecting a very uncooperative gazebo and hanging curtains on a very wobbly ladder (thank you Ivar for keeping it steady!). There was just time for a quick go on ‘Splat the Slug’ before we headed off.

Until next time! :)

The annual plant sale at Charlton House is run by the Charlton House Garden Volunteers and CABAHS. It's always a popular event, raising much needed funds for the Community Hospice and maintenance of the grounds at the House.

Set in the lovely walled garden, we lent a hand getting things ready for the event:

🌻 Collecting trestle tables from Charlton House and setting them up in the garden.

💐 Setting up the display shelving.

🪻Fetching plants from the small walled garden to the sales area.

🍰 Putting up the gazebo for the Women's Institute cake stall.

🌹Putting out signage boards around the estate.

When it was all set up the garden looked wonderful with loads of plants ready to go to new homes (well, gardens really!)

With opening time approaching a long queue of customers had formed, all eager for the gates to open.

We left before the rush, and headed to the Old Cottage Tearooms for a coffee to round off the morning.

Another week and another weed or should that be many many weeds. Today we concentrated on the long border. We were also visited whilst doing it buy Mr Robin who was helping himself to bits & pieces we were digging up for nest building

What is a weed? The dictionary says that a weed is “a wild (not deliberately cultivated) plant growing where it is not wanted”. At the Old Pond Garden and in fact, every garden, there are weeds and it’s a constant battle to keep them at bay which is why this task is never ending 😱 However, today we had a break from weeding and took over 100 cuttings from the penstemon plants ready to plant later in the spring.
There are so many knowledgable people here that being involved is not only helping but also an opportunity to learn about all things horticulture.