A scorcher of an afternoon for this midweek gardening task alongside Thames Landscape Strategy. Either side of the river towpath in Ham, an interesting and invasive plant Himalayan Balsam was taking over the soil from native plants. It has alien-like bright red roots which must bind only weakly into the ground as it's really easy to pull out.

There were a lot of nettles growing near and even around the balsam, but it was far too hot for trousers, so I had to tread carefully. Of course I did not and got stung repeatedly.

A few others had joined the task including familiar face Sharon from the Friends of Ham Lands, the chair of an umbrella Ham community group and some people from the Landscape Strategy's Eventbrite listing.