Well we were luck with the weather today and managed to plant some more wildflower plugs in the Breathing Places area behind the library, tidy, weed and plant up the War Memorial beds and also remove the dandy lions from the cinema bed too.

Not may photos taken during this task day though as the photographer was busy jet-washing the Infants Play Area fence to prepare it for painting towards the end of May and there's still a long way to go!

Infants Play Area fence is prepared for painting.

Fence

Infants Play Area fence is prepared for painting.

Fence

Tidying and planting in the War Memorial beds.

Memorial Bed

Tidying and planting in the War Memorial beds.

Memorial Bed

Tidying and planting in the War Memorial beds.

Memorial Bed

For our first ever mid-month task day we were joined by young people from Community Outreach who helped us to prepare the Infants Play Area Fence ready for painting later in the year. This was part of a special 3 day event organised by All Saints' Church called "Get Out and Love Marple", where 50 young people from all over our community spent 3 days doing random acts of kindness all over Marple. We were very grateful for all the extra pairs of hands to help us sand and scrape off all the loose paint and we were very pleased to get around two thirds of the fence done as it is a BIG job! Whilst this was going on other volunteers tidied shrub beds around the Council Offices too.

In addition, the Sensory Garden bench, which was only refurbished during the February task day, and also the new bench on the driveway into the park fitted in March were both rubbed down again and re-treated because of graffiti.

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Council Office borders tidied up.

Borders

Sensory Garden bench re-treated after removal of graffiti.

Benches

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

Community Outreach preparing the Infants Play Area Fence for painting.

Fence

A lower turn out this month but once again those who did come along excelled themselves! The reading circle bed and borders in the Breathing Place were weeded and wild flower seeds were sown in the circular border. Perennial seeds were sown with Annuals so that we should have a show of colour this year but next year should be even better when the Perennials flower.

Wild flower plugs were also planted and wildflower seeds sown in the square bed next to the library and the never-ending task of weeding the ornamental beds was started for this year. It's great to see everything springing into life again after the winter.

As well as gardening tasks we continued our on-going project to care for the park's benches with the sanding and treatment of two more benches near to the Bowling Green. The Tree Sculpture was also given a jet-wash to remove all the green growth so that it can be given its annual treatment with preservative next month.

Breathing Places borders are weeded and wild flower seeds sown.

Breathing Place

Spring colours and daffodils looking great!

Breathing Place

Wild flowers plugs are planted and seeds sown in the square bed near the library.

Wild Flowers

Wooden slats have been removed for sanding and treatment and the base is about to get a jet wash.

Benches

The Tree Sculpture has just been jet-washed to remove the green ready for fresh treatment.

Tree Sculpture

Sanding and treating of bench slats in progress. The slats are Oak and clean up really well.

Benches

The ornamental beds get their first of many weedings in 2012!

Weeding

Weeding, forking and hoeing of the ornamental beds is underway.

Weeding

The Rainbows' ornamental bed is given a good going over.

Weeding

One of two benches refurbished today is reassembled.

Benches

Kind weather and a really good turnout of volunteers resulted in an exceptionally productive day! Successes included transformation of the bed in front of the Toilets to celebrate the success of our campaign to stop them from closing. The straggly Hebes were mostly removed with a few being replanted at the back of the bed or elsewhere in the park. Polyanthas from the future Diamond Jubilee Bed were removed and transplanted to the Toilet Bed and other locations in the park.

The square bed next to the library and the Reading Circle behind it were re-weeded, forked and hoed in preparation for planting of wildflowers in the spring. One of the shrub beds bordering Hollins House and the car park was also weeded and tidied.

In addition, as part of our on-going project to care for the park's benches, the Sensory Garden Bench was dismantled, sanded, treated with preservative and reassembled. Also, the refurbishment of the notice board on the library wall was completed so that we can now start telling library users about our new Diamond Jubilee Project.

The toilet bed is cleared of straggly Hebes.

Toilet Bed

Polyanthas are transplanted from the future Jubilee bed.

Jubilee Bed

The slats from the Sensory Garden Bench are sanded.

Sanding

The kids tidy up the toilet bed.

Sweeping

The Sensory Bench being dismantled.

Sensory Bench

A new backing board is installed in the notice board by Terry.

Notice Board

The Toilet Bed with trimmed-up Hebes and transplanted Polyanthas.

Toilet Bed

The bed around the Reading Circle is weeded and forked ready for wildflowers in spring.

Reading Circle

One of the borders alongside Hollins House is given a good tidy-up.

Border

David and Patrick lying down on the job again, but what a god job they've done!

Sensory Bench

We were lucky with the weather on our first task day of 2012 - it could have been like yesterday's hail and thunderstorms but the winter sunshine was very pleasant. We installed new perspex in the display case outside the library in preparation for the start of our new Diamond Jubilee Project, more about that will appear on the site soon.

We cut some paving slabs ready for a new base that will be laid for a commemorative bench recently purchased by a local family. More about that will appear on our Caring for Park Benches page when it is installed.

We also carried out extensive pruning to the shrub bed alongside the path approaching the Park Cottage and that is now looking much tidier and will soon be full of new growth. Spring is just around the corner and the park is coming back to life!

Terry puts installs perspex in the library display case.

Display Case

Paving slabs are cut ready for a new commemorative bench installation.

Slabs Cut

They're not lurking they're pruning!

Shrubs Trimmed

Shrub beds near to park cottage are pruned back.

Shrubs Trimmed