The days are getting longer and we'll soon be running sunsets, but the skies were clear for tonight's run to Shepherds Hill Garden and the stars out. Two of us set off from the Phoenix - Kubilay and George - and we picked up Lucinda along our steady 2.5km run.

We were met by Pat and Flora, two of the amazing custodians of the gardens, who handed out rakes, brooms, bags and a dustpan. We cleared leaves along the top path, nearby beds and benches to make the space safer and more attractive to visitors. Then we made our way down the hill to rake a grass bed that has been suffering from lack of light and too much leaf mulch.

With the leaves of our labour bagged and disposed off around the new dead hedges further down the slope, we then decamped to top, where Pat broke out the thermos and biscuits for a round of hot chocolate. We watched the stars and mused over whether that was Venus we could see up above (we're in the midst of a planetary phenomenon!) , before returning the tools to Pat's place.

Then the three of us walked Flora a short way home, before picking up our pace and trekking back home ourselves, safe in the knowledge we'd leafed no path unswept.