Notice of Work Party – Thursday 21st June 2018 – After The Lord Mayor’s Show

Work Re-structure

We have mentioned before that for the Months of July August and September we will cease excavation work in the Fernery and return to the Park Field to carry out some essential maintenance that we have been neglecting over the past year while we have been developing the Fernery.

But because we have so recently completed a major cleanup of the Fernery in readiness for the Open Day, then one month earlier than forecast we are going to take the opportunity of splitting ourselves into two groups – one to continue caring for the Fernery Garden, and a second group to work in the Nature Reserve Park Field.

Fernery Gardening Group

Normal service resumes.

Rabbit Wire Fixing

The key task for this Thursday is to fix Rabbit Wire around the entire three-terraced May Bed. This is an urgent task because rabbits love to nibble geraniums, and new ones were planted as recently as the Open Day.

Sarah has purchased a new roll of wire especially for this task, which is to be found in the Tool Shed.

Watering

Resume watering the Central Bed and the newly planted ferns and plants in other beds.

Do Not Water – we are reminded that the well-established ferns on the rockface should NOT be watered because their roots are finding their own source down inside the rockface, which leads to long term strength health and resilience.

Park Maintenance Group

A small group of volunteers will work in the Park field to:

• resume the task of cutting back scrub which is encroaching on pathways,
• lower the crowns of young trees, and
• clear the scrub from around the base of the Wellingtonia tree close to the cattle corral.

Saws and loppers will be brought to the Fernery Shed where we will all meet as usual.

Meeting Place

The full team will meet at the Fernery at 10 a.m. for briefing and allocation of tasks, and for the issue of appropriate tools.

If possible a First Aider will attend each group, but failing that, then the respective leaders will maintain telephone contact.

For those not familiar with the location of the Fernery, full details may be found on the website, but simply stated the closest access point is North Ride, on the Danesbury Estate, AL6 9RD.

Either park in North Ride, or take the right hand fork of the unmade Road which leads to Danesbury Park Road, and an entrance is about 500 metres on the right not far from a lay-by.

Tea Breaks

Tea breaks will of necessity be separate, but we will aim to meet up together as a group at 12 p.m. in the Fernery for a de-brief.

Please bring  a drink with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and have strong gardening gloves too.

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