It was a blustery and cold day in Cardiff this morning, with temperatures as low as -1C, but we are GoodGym runners and this is nothing more than a challenge. We met at our agreed spot (a little further away to help us get in our KM for the January Challenge) and then Aura Frizzati, Su Fernandez, Emma Wilkins and Mikey Owens set off.

Welcome to the Mission Crew – Aura and Su, on their very first mission run.

With an added challenge along the way of hills we were soon warmed up and ready to get going on our mission, after a slight wrong turning (Mikey Owens) we arrived at our destination.

Hello, Good Gym calling………….

After introductions and a look at the equipment we headed out to the garden, where GoodGym Cardiff works blooming wonderfully.

We were tasked with getting a wonderful mixture of Geophytes into the ground, ready to transform the garden of Mrs. M in Spring.

What’s a Geophyte? I hear you call…

Well I’m glad you asked, plants that form underground storage organs, including bulbs as well as tubers and corms. We were given Sparaxis, Freesia, Gladiolus, Daffodils, Tulips, Hollyhock & Mount Everest. Mrs. M told us all about her family and how her daughter fell in love with Cardiff which is why she moved here, and that she loves the garden and wants to get the grandchildren interested in it so hopefully this should help.

With a plan of action, we split into two groups, off to the tree and the woodland area to put in the Hollyhock and some daffodils. The long handled bulb planter did its best but the earth was certainly tougher back here, but undeterred Mikey and Emma weren’t gonna let this ‘get their goat’.

Su and Aura got to work on what is to become the flower patch in the garden. Ripping up the covering that had been suppressing weeds for Mrs. M, and armed with a bulb planter and a dibber they began laying out bulbs.

With no border going unplanted soon the number of daffs in the bag was getting low, so it was now all hands to finish the new flower patch. After explaining to the group why dandelions aren’t weeds but misunderstood plants, Mikey broke away to tackle ‘Mount Everest’, oh what big bulbous beasts they were. Mrs. M instructed him where to plant them and then he joined her at the window to answer her questions about GoodGym and what it is that we do. After a brief chat about the joys of gardening Mikey re-joined to help finish off as Emma, Su and Aura all ‘dug deep’ for one last round of planting before the cold became too much.

Down tools, tidy up, it’s time to run back

Out of bulbs and with a cleared garden it was time to bid farewell to Mrs. M, she had been a great hostess engaging with us throughout the task. But our time had come to an end, after one last quick chat we hit the pavements once again.

This report was brought to you by the gardeners for misunderstood plants.