WORKING PARTY REPORT AND PHOTOS: 14TH MARCH 2024

This week’s special post is from FOGG member Phil Lee – who also provides the photos:

Today was special for us all. We were visited by David Basset, his sister Pat, and his wife Kathryn. For those of you who follow our website, you will know that David and Pat often visited their Grandfather’s home, Asherton House, on the other side of the brook, as children and continue to share wonderful childhood stories and memories with us. Hopefully these will one day have their own ‘pride of place’ on the FOGG website. Their grandfather, Dr Cohen, lived in Asherton House and used it as his practice. David and Kathryn are visiting from Canada, and Pat visits from Hampshire.

It was an overcast morning, but thankfully the rain held off until noon. Six volunteers turned up and were joined by Paul from EDDC who brought along more plants, mainly ground cover, which we gratefully planted out. We spread chippings around newly planted shrubs, weeded, cut back some more invasive laurel, trimmed bamboo, and generally tidied up fallen branches and debris. As usual, we were happy to chat with walkers passing through the Goyle. Their encouragement and kind words are always appreciated. Jeremy also visited us. 

David and Pat went on to share a coffee with one of our pioneers and ‘founding fathers’, John McGregor, whose passion for improving Glen Goyle remains infectious.

Back in 2022, three plants which we first focused on were the tree ferns at the southern entrance to the lawn. These were in a sorry state, stifled by brambles and ivy, short of sunlight and water, and generally neglected. Today, they are in fine health, admired by passers-by, and a beacon for what we are trying to achieve throughout Gen Goyle.

Two photos of the tree ferns:

And work underway by the lawn:

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