24th AGM on Monday 26th April 2010

We held our annual agm,

Dealt with the election of committee members, accounts etc

Ate a selection of quiches, scones, cakes and biscuits baked & supplied by our voluteers

and received a short talk on interacting with visitors and enhacing their experience of National Trust properties.

Styal 25/4/10

No suitable photos this week - due to camera shake - unless one of the other volunteers sends me one!

Eight volunteers turned out to Styal, met up with the head gardener on his day off and were set a task clearing up an area which he plans to develop as a picnic area.

This involved clearing three piles of assorted prunings and dead wood, digging out tree roots, and re stacking the debris beside the drive so that it could be easily removed during the following weeks. Wildlife seen including a mouse, a rabbit and a robin.

We had sunshine and showers with it getting heavier towards the end of the day - which we finished with a guided tour of the garden - stopping to admire a variety of Magnolias, Rhododendrons, camellias, and bulbs including dogs tooth violet and tulip.

Dunham Massey - drive edging and biker watching

Today four of us went to Dunham and with John Mann (warden) edged a 100m section of Charcoal Drive near the house. We have done this job periodically over the past few years but the grass/soil soon spreads back over the road surface and we often had to cut back six inches of growth to reach the original kerb. The park was thronging with people all day and it felt good to be working in the public eye.

Where was everybody else? You all missed a good workout in the "green gym" and a spectacular motorbike procession:

At 14.00 the tranquillity was broken by the sound of 300 revving engines as bikers appeared at Charcoal Lodge, drove slowly up the drive and parked near the house. The occasion was the Bike & Bikers' Blessing, now in its third year. A fifteen minute remembrance service - broadcast over a PA system from a makeshift platform - saluted fallen bikers and gave the Lord's blessing to the assembled crowd for their adventures this year on the Open Road. The bikes looked magnificent, especially the Harley Davidsons with their immaculate paintwork and gleaming chrome - clearly their owners' pride and joy. After the service the bikers roared off to Dunham Village for the blessing as they rode past the church.

Hayfield - 11 April

Eleven volunteers turned out and spent the day "Rhodi bashing" near hayfield. The original plan was cotton grass planting but there wouldn't have been enough plants to go round we would have run out of plants in less time than it would have taken to get to where they needed to be planted. So that job has been put back in the callendar until more plants are available.

The work was on a steep slope but we made progress and the wardens managed the fires.

The weather was wonderful, we had a good turn out and stopped for a drink in the pub and a chat before heading home.

Lyme - 28 March 2010

8 Volunteers turned out for what is likely to be our last visit to Lyme for the moment.

We returned to a site in Lantern wood where have worked in the past - it was originally completely over run with Rhododendron ponticum - which we cleared some years ago. Some of the trees we planted after the initial work have done well - others had succumbed to damage from deer or had been out competed by birch.

We spent most of the day pulling up birch (and cutting it down where it was too big to pull) - to give the oak, ash, and Scots pine saplings a chance. Some of the gaps were filled with new planting.

We finished the day by clearing a small patch of Rhododendron.

The weather was good - with plenty of sunshine in the afternoon - while the woodland sheltered us from the strong breeze.

"Hayfield" 21 March 2010

Ten of our volunteers turned out and met up with local National Trust staff in Hayfield. We took needed three vehicles to carry everyone (including four dogs!) nearer to "Park Moor" and spent the day cutting and burning Rhododendron as part of a long term project to reclaim this site for native species.

The weather yesterday more than made up for the snow that made us cancel two trips to this beautiful area earlier in the year. After a slightly misty start the sun came through and stayed with us almost until the end. Good timing as we had had a large fire and the moor was still comparatively dry even after the dampness of Saturday. It was tempting to just lie in the sun after lunch but we did get up and get on. Progress is being made, some of individuals can remember when the R. was thick scrub completely enclosing the path. Some areas are now free of this weed, some has been cut but not killed, and some has yet to be done.......

Mothers’ Day at Biddulph Grange Garden

I was hiding behind the carmera - thanks to Daniel for the text
Five of us, but no mums (!), spent today at Biddulph Grange Garden near Congleton planting oak, hazel, rose and viburnum whips in the two areas of woodland either side of Wellingtonia Avenue. Overcast skies in the morning gave way to sunshine in the afternoon and it was lovely to feel the warm spring sunshine on your face. A cold wind blew for most of the day so we sheltered in the Cheshire Cottage for lunch. Peter, the head gardener, was very pleased with our efforts.


The cold winter has delayed growth in the garden by more than a month. The snowdrops didn’t come through until February (they usually appear in January) and the gardeners won’t start mowing the lawns until next week (last year they mowed them in January!).