Sunday 31 July; plants galore!

Sunday dawned bright and sunny, a perfect day for a volunteer event! After all the excitement of the previous weeks which saw jackhammers, diggers and large amounts of gravel being poured into the river it was time for something gentler… planting plants, and lots of them!

1000 plants including various sedges, reed canary grass, hemp agrimony, rush, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris and water forget-me-not were waiting to greet our volunteers.

The volunteers were soon hard at work banging in stakes (granted, not a very gentle technique!)

… planting marginal plants…

… planting irises…

… while Jez took charge of the coir roll crew…

… and Gideon brought another delivery of iris!

It was hard work planting near the old weir – lots of rubble was located under here.

The finished product was then watered, with the planted areas temporarily netted off to protect the new plants from beaks and bills while the roots get established!

Many thanks to all our enthusiastic and hardworking volunteers: Ann, Bella, Charles, Dave, Debbie, Elizabeth, Erica, Gideon, Inger, James, Jez, Jo, Lucy, Marcia, Matt, Michael, Michelle, Paula, Rob, Roger, Sally, Sue, Suzanna, Suzanne, Vientiene.

This event was supported by the WATER project selected within the scope of the INTERREG IVA France (Channel) – England cross-border European cooperation programme, co-financed by the ERDF.