May volunteer day

Thanks to all that came and got soggy yesterday!  As well as the rain we enjoyed some sunnier spells, and despite the rain got a huge amount done! 

The main objective for the day was to have a really good tidy up ahead of our Spring Open Day on Saturday.  We had a huge bonfire in the arena and teams went around the site collecting old piles of brash and brambles to burn.   

The vegetation is really bursting to life around the arboretum now.  One group spent much of the day using scythes to cut a large area of nettles and bracken at the top of the site, allowing a better view of the specimen trees.

Much was done to clear pathways and the Donkey Steps, and to weed around our recent tree plantings.  We also used slashers and billhooks to clear bramble and bamboo from around some striking rhododendron that’s currently in flower.  

The heavy rain at lunchtime provided the perfect opportunity to test out the roundhouse, and hot drinks around the fire (now reinstated!) were a welcome addition!

The rain made photography a bit tricky, but a few photos of the day below. Contact volunteer@tortwortharboretum.org if you’d like to sign up for our next volunteer day on Sunday 20th June.