Gardening Group - Spring Progress and Challenges

Jackwood House Garden

Saturday 21st March 2026

On Saturday morning, twelve volunteers came together in Jackwood House Garden, including two from GoodGym and our Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) pairing. With signs of spring all around us, it was a rewarding and energetic session with a real mix of tasks for all experience levels.

A key focus was cutting back last year’s deadheads, which we had intentionally left in place over winter. These seed heads provide valuable food for birds and shelter for insects during the colder months, so timing their removal is important. Now, as new growth begins, clearing them away allows light and space for fresh shoots to develop. It’s also a satisfying and accessible task — perfect for newer volunteers to get involved with confidence.

Alongside this, we carried out careful weeding among emerging plants. This is a more delicate job, requiring a trained eye to distinguish between unwanted growth and the early leaves of valued plants. It was particularly encouraging to spot young hellebores establishing themselves, a reminder that the garden is constantly renewing itself. Spring bulbs are also pushing through strongly, with tulips just on the verge of putting on a colourful display.

Up on the terrace, two volunteers tackled the ever-returning brambles and thistles, which quickly take hold in the flower beds if left unchecked. Keeping these in balance is essential to ensure other plants have the space and light they need to thrive.

Meanwhile, our GoodGym volunteers took on a more physical, self-contained project: reclaiming a lost crazy paving path between the terrace and the walled garden. In just one hour, they filled two tonne sacks with thorny cuttings and revealed around two metres of path — and a much wider path than we had expected. This work will eventually help improve access and reveal more of the garden’s original layout.

As always, it was lovely to receive thanks and encouragement from passing visitors, which means a great deal to our volunteers.

However, the session was not without its challenges. During the morning, four boys on electric bikes rode repeatedly up and down the terrace steps and grass banks, wearing balaclavas instead of helmets. While we understand that cycling can be enjoyable, this behaviour caused damage to the garden and was intimidating for those volunteering.

We would like to remind all visitors that cycling is only permitted on designated paths (primarily hard surfaces and the bridleway), and motorised bikes are not allowed anywhere within the nature reserve.

Unfortunately, we also found that the compost area we have carefully built had been damaged over the weekend. This will be repaired, but it is understandably disheartening for volunteers who give their time freely to care for this space.

Despite this, the session was a positive one. With spring emerging and progress visible across the garden, the dedication and resilience of our volunteers continues to make a real difference.