Attingham workday was warm, sunny & productive. Our task was to be making new tree guards to protect apple trees in the orchard from rabbits in particular – one of whom made an appearance in the adjacent walled garden just as we arrived! Progress was slow at first as Head Gardener Duncan put the plan in his head gradually into place, deciding where to put the wooden posts, hammering down just far enough, working out how to attach the wire mesh to maximise its coverage, explaining the cunning device to bind mesh and fence wire together.
We turned into guinea pigs for how many trees a group could manage to protect in one day – hence we focussed on the small trees, leaving the larger ones for others another time.
By the afternoon we were a well organised team each with their roles producing effective and uniform guards for all the baby trees. Morning saw homemade flapjacks which soon disappeared – thanks Helen – by afternoon, it was ice cream for some as a satisfying day in good company, ended in the Stables tea rooms in the shade!
..Report courtesy of workday leader Helen
Shropshire and Staffordshire National Trust Volunteers 