At a time of year when there is no news, there are actually things to report back on when it comes to what’s been happening along Glen Goyle.
GARDENING, GARDENING
The volunteers of the FOGG working party have not been taking much of a break, despite holidays, festivals and the often overwhelming heat – and yet because of the dapple along the Glen, it has been very pleasant indeed to work on a Thursday morning even in high summer.
Because of the heat and lack of rain, the volunteers have been watering the plants put in over the last couple of years – and fortunately the Bickwell stream (or Woolbrook!) which runs through the Glen has been able to provide enough water for the FOGG workers to carry wateringcans-full up to both the fresh flowers and new growth along the Glen.
Otherwise, the FOGG working party have been carrying on with their gardening duties – which involves the usual tidying up and cutting back to keep that balance of light and shade to ensure greater biodiversity [for example, the aptly-named Beautiful Demoiselles along the Glen] – as well as a very pleasant place to walk through on a bright summer’s day.
Or, as a recent piece put it, gardening along the Glen goes from impenetrable brambles to beds for shrubs and lilies. Here’s a photo from FOGG working party member John Hopkins of the results of their labours:
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VISITS, INSPECTIONS AND SURVEYS
Every year since its inception, the FOGG project has been privileged to be included in the annual Sidmouth in Bloom rounds, when they accompany the RHS judges from South West in Bloom.
And so here’s a shot from last month’s visit by the RHS judges and Sidmouth in Bloom to the Glen:
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There have been other visits over these summer months. Ed Dolphin of the Sidmouth Arboretum has been updating his inventory of trees – when he ‘discovered’ a Hinoki, the Japanese cypress along the Glen, “hiding among the overgrown shrubbery just behind the Japanese Maple”:
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PLANS AND MORE PLANS
Since the last Spring 2025 Newsletter, a few bits of planning have been fulfilled – most notably having an owl box installed along the Glen following visits by the Devon Wildlife Trust and advice from the Barn Owl Trust. With thanks to John McGregor of FOGG for liaising with Steve and Sally Jellyman who were able to come forward to gift this quite substantial owl box, as well as with the excellent District Council tree team who put up the box:
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Later, John received a delivery of a feast of new bat boxes for the Glen, all of varying types and sizes – and he will be liaising again with the council tree team to get them installed.
Another bit of planning has involved working with the council on putting in more benches – and now it seems that ‘the seating in the Goyle is very popular and often occupied’. So popular, that there have been requests for more benches, in particular memorial benches in this lovely quiet spot.
The final piece of liaison with councillors and council officers has been over paths – and the repairing of paths along the Glen was reported on in the last newsletter:
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The latest plans, submitted to the District Council’s cabinet back in November last year, are to reintroduce the path from the side entrance on Glen Road along the top of the lawn and down to the footbridge over the stream.
Let’s see how those plans transpire: we’ll keep you posted on these pages!
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