Earlier this month Marian, from the Wanstead Community Gardeners, got in touch to see if we could pop round to give them a hand.

Marian affectionately calls us her 'muscle', we normally get called in for the heavier digging & carrying etc. to assist the team.

This evening the targets were 2 sets of 2 planters, installed by the council but not really looked after - so in steps the WCG crew! We split up, Sam & Vicky joined Rosemary (no time jokes) at the Gail's planters while Kathryn & myself joined Marian at the George.

Ivy was cleared, top inch or so of soil dug up and mulch mixed in, ready for the planting of geraniums in the next few days.

Dirt swept up, soil & green waste & tools dropped off back at WCG base, it was time to make a move. Too hot & humid for a run, it was decided people made their own way home again, run & walk & ride...

Job well done, thanks ladies.

Ten Goodgymmers journeyed deep into the heart of Haringey's latest tiny forest for a spot of dregrassification.

Olfactory Blues

Our Goodgymmers ran a cool mile to the New Road Park Tiny Forest as part of the Tiny Forest Wildlife Count. Friends of the tiny forest met us there and after a temporary misunderstanding around whether Gramps was going to foot the bill for all the Big Fat Cats bonuses at Thames Water, we were pleased when Mina from the Friends group turned up with tools, bags, and clear mandate for our lot: de-weed this poor tiny forest so the trees get more of the rain water into their thirsty roots - whenever it comes.

Say no more. Our Goodgymmers pulled grass, yarrow, and dandelions to their hearts' content, while discussing the merits of medieval mead-making and the evolutionary reasons of why a little bit of pain is good for you.

All the while, Gramps was keeping a beady eye on the lookout for any sign of wildlife. Sam came to his rescue, in a way, when she alerted him to, as she put it, a very faecaly smell in the area she was weeding. Reader, she must hit the vulpine scatological motherload because we all had to move away from the area. All newcomers were warned to avoid Sam's behind because of the faecaly smell - 'behind' used here purely in its geographical sense rather than anatomical and in no way for comedic purposes at poor Sam's expense. No. Never.

After about an hour, our heroes stopped for the evening after a rather successful weeding session and we all headed home satisfied with a good day's work.

Boom.

Join us for another tiny forest expedition next week as we visit the folk at White Hart Rec.