Spring jobs, proper places

A lovely Friday morning Community Mission at Stephens House and Gardens, working alongside some of the regular volunteer crew in the spring sunshine.

I started in the children’s playground, helping clear back some nettles with Julian. It’s not that nettles aren’t welcome they absolutely are but like most things in a garden, they just need to be in the right place. Stephens House already has a dedicated nettle patch, which is great for butterflies as an egg-laying resource.

After that, I joined Helen in the bog garden .. not especially boggy at the moment after the dry spell where we tackled dock leaves before they had a chance to dominate. Helen is working hard to increase biodiversity in the area, and there was something very satisfying about getting the spade in just right and feeling that deep dock root come free with a satisfying pop.

A couple of hours of simple, purposeful outdoor work, good conversation, and shared effort was rounded off in the best possible way: tea and biscuits in the Bothy garden. Friendly, community-minded, and quietly rewarding a lovely way to spend a Friday morning.

And Gus seemed happy too, back in the park he grew up