5 GG’ers started off at the 3 Pigeons plot and walked along the river clearing the area of various litter, some of it swept in by the tide. It was lovely weather and we enjoyed the sunshine, fresh air and good company. We finished off close to the Sea Scouts entrance and managed to fill up 3 bin bags. Then we headed back to Tide Tables for a well deserved coffee.

On Monday night Daisy, Lucy, Susan, Chris and Anita all took a zero tolerance approach on when it came to clearing the weeds from our adopted ‘Three Pigeons Plot’ in Buccleuch Gardens, Richmond. A similar ‘tough love’ approach approach to the weeds along the adjacent wall and riverside path left our sponsored plot on the Thames Path looking well kempt and all ready for the growing season ahead.

Wellcome back and a special thank you to Daisy, joining us on her second task and to Lucy who stepped in as run leader and combined it all with her London Marathon training.

Goodgymers Amy, Chris and Anita helped Violets, Lamb’s Ears, Hellebores and Woodruff find new dream homes in an idyllic riverside location in Richmond.

As well as sizing up jobs suitable for the Monday evening Richmond Group Task at our sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens, we were able to make use of the spring sunshine to undertake some ‘division’ and replanting.

The Violets and Lamb’s Ears (stachys) that are really flourished in the Arcade Rockery were divided and small clumps removed and replanted at a number of points across the bed.

Self-set hellebores and overcrowded woodruff from Anita’s garden were also given new homes with room to expand in the Arcade Rockery and around the benches.

A short but productive lunchtime mission in GoodGym Richmond's sponsored plots in Buccleuch Garden's Richmond to plant bare root shrubs (spiraea vanhouffi aka bridal wreat) , deutzia scabra and philadelphus virginal) .

The council contractors had been in and cut back a lot of shrubs between the Thames Path and Petersham road which also enabled Chris and Anita to do a quick litter pick in places that are normally too dense to reach .

Shout out for Chris who combined the mission with a 10km run.

Hats off to run leader/group activator Liz and stalwart GoodGymers Victoria, Chris, Monika, JP, Ken and Anita who all braved a cold and wet February Monday night to complete an awesome array of tasks that will help GoodGym Richmond's sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens look fabulous come the spring:

Leaves on the Line: The grooves of the sliding shutters were deep-cleaned, with all the autumn leaf-mould brushed out to allow clean running.

Turn Again: The compost heap was turned and twigs and bulky items chopped-up to aid decomposition.

Arcadia: The Arcade was swept, cleaned and given a mini-makeover .

Plantasia: The square brick planters integral to the front of the Arcade were weeded, topped-up with homemade compost and top-dressed with stones.

Scrape Moss: Moss was scrapped off the tarmac and added to the compost heap.

On the Pull: Plantains were pulled, spot-weeded out of the lawn with the dextrous use of cutlery knives.

New Shoots: And afterwards in the the Tap Tavern, where Richmond GG’s Monday night Group Runs always start, new ideas for developing and funding more GoodGym work in Buccleuch Gardens were discussed.

Lunchtime mission in Buccleuch Gardens to do some pruning and weeding around our GoodGym sponsored plot the Arcade Rockery and assess the gardening jobs suitable for the Group Run in the evening ( it will be cold, wet and dark so hot chocolate and warming tasks in and around the Arcade are in order) .