by Ian Bushell
We met on Wednesday morning, the 29th of December, in the car park but those third helpings of turkey and plum duff had depleted our numbers sadly. No Joan or Patrick, Simon, David, or Trish.
Continue reading “The last of 2021”
We can’t find nine ladies dancing. Come spring, we will have daffodils fluttering and dancing in the breeze, as per Wordsworth, but feel that the link is tenuous. We will also have ladies’ smocks flowering in the meadows but we used them up yesterday by calling them eight milkmaids.
Continue reading “On the ninth day”
by Ian Bushell
The weather was again kind to the working party: dry but not too hot. Another good turn out, just missing Sarah and Alan who are on holiday.
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Not a bad morning, not overly sunny but at least there was no rain.
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Another great turn out by the Friends on Wednesday and a beautiful morning to boot.
Continue reading “Wednesday work party”
The park has been so important to so many during this last locked-down year. People have come here for permitted exercise, to run their children and their dogs, to walk off their worries or just to stay sane in an increasingly insane world. Now that we are promised an end to the craziness, it is the park that needs a little help.
Continue reading “We need volunteers”
This is Pat, our champion litter picker; yesterday was her 91st birthday.
Continue reading “Happy Birthday Pat”
Pictures and a message from Clive Knight, long-time Friend of the Park:
Continue reading “To-do list”
There is a Chinese wingnut tree (Pterocarya stenoptera) in the Arboretum.
Continue reading “Wingnut”
Yesterday was FoSCP’s last work party in the park until after this period of lockdown ends. If all goes well, we will next meet on Wednesday, 9th December.
Park users, if you see that there is something to be fixed or damage to be mended, please contact us and we will do our best.
New fencing at Puddle Corner.
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From Wikipedia:
A whip is a slender, unbranched shoot or plant. This term is used in forestry to refer to unbranched young tree seedlings of approximately 0.5-1.0 m (1 ft 7 in-3 ft 3 in) in height and 2–3 years old, that have been grown for planting out.
With the loan of Hope Nature Centre’s mobile water tank (thank you Caroline) and armed with as many watering cans and buckets as we could muster, FoSCP set about watering the new hedge in Simpson’s Field. Not quite a work party, more a socially distanced rescue mission.
Coronavirus or no, trees have to be planted.
Continue reading “Planting trees”
A gallery of pictures from Tuesday’s work party.
The Friends have recently planted 150 primrose plug plants in one of the wooded copses in the Village Green area.
Continue reading “Primroses”
Buddy, a handsome and very energetic springer spaniel, one of our volunteers, who regularly brings his human, Louise, to FoSCP work parties. Thank you Buddy .
Another of the park’s canine fans:
Tuesday’s work party was devoted to veteran oak tree 5549. We halo our old oaks; this means that we clear away the under-storey that competes for their light and nutrition and build barriers around them to reduce footfall over their roots. Hard work!
The main task was haloing the oak trees in the boundaries of the copse between Sleepers and Sheep Field.
Continue reading “Work Party”
It’s the last Tuesday in the month. The Friends of Southwick Country Park will be meeting in the car park at 9.30am; come and join us.
Only two tasks for the Friends of Southwick Country Park this week: spreading woodchip on the path through the Blackthorn Tunnel and cutting back the set-aside on the northern edge of Village Green.
Continue reading “Wet Wednesday”
The Tuesday work party was very nearly cancelled.
Need to know why? Read on:
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 