“Do not underestimate the bindweed, its need for wreathe and stifle rooted deep in its name”. Jan Wagner

“ Each morning I evict them. Each night more arrive, their leaves small, green shrouds, reminding me the mother root waits deep underground”. James McKean

“ Bindweed was a bane — hellweed, strangleweed, devil's nightcap”. Caroline Mellor

Poets don’t just confine themselves to waxing lyrical about roses - they’re also inspired by one of the most problematic weeds around. While it is no Japanese knotweed, it chokes the plants it grows around and is notoriously difficult to deal with.

Well there is plenty of it at Cleveland Pools where GoodGym Bath has been helping keep the site under control so it will be ready for action when it is brought back into use.

Bindweed’s white trumpet flowers are deceptively pretty in the bushes but they simply had to go. I spent my time untangling their tendrils and pulling them out as best I could. It was a task made trickier by the sloping ground. Let’s hope they don’t pop back up the moment our backs are turned.

While I was battling the “devil’s nightcap”, Paul was busy doing all sorts of odd jobs. In fact he was busy in the week - taking the mower to the slopes and making them look neater than I’d ever seen them. Today he tidied up bits of rusty fencing and other bits and bobs as well as doing a serious amount of sweeping. There was one area with concrete benches which was tucked away - he imagined swimmers relaxing in the shady spot. Maybe some day soon!