Shropshire and Staffordshire National Trust Volunteers

Workday leader Peter reports from a day in the sun:

With summer finally here, the bottles of sun cream were noticeable by their appearance in the car park on Sunday as eleven members were meet by Lizzie, apprentice gardener who has almost completed her two year programme at Shugborough .

With the HS2 rail route apparently planning to run close to the Chinese House on an elevated viaduct behind it, the Trust want to be able to enhance the views around this folly and make it visible from the Mansion. Hence our task was to cut down to waist or knee height the shrubs on the junction of the two paths leading to the feature in the ornamental garden. Shugborough property volunteers were already busy at work cutting down shrubs by one side of the bridge across the canal, along with gardener Derek as we surveyed the day’s task.

Having lost three SSNTV group members en route, who were tasked with starting a bonfire and awaiting the forthcoming deliveries of brash cuttings in a designated spot, the rest of us got to work. Soon the cut pile was greater than the plants left remaining!

It was now eleven o’clock and the workday leader called the first of the two main events of the day. With the Trust guidance changing, “Cake O’Clock” was reinstated for the first time since March 2020. Unfortunately this reporter / workday leader failed to record the momentous occasion, being too preoccupied with eating.

By lunchtime the cutting team had run out of work, despite the scorching sun, as visitors squeezed between the cut piles on all sides of the paths determined to check out the views and visit the tennis court area across the bridge.

Next task: more cake was consumed.

Then it was down to weeding the borders around the Shepherds Monument – but with this workday leader unsure of the difference between a dandelion and a daffodil, this work would be challenging to manage. Keeping the task simple by just instructing the removal of nettles and cleavers (“sticky weed / goosegrass”)  this I could manage.  We paused regularly to load the trailer with the waste from the morning’s work, as it regularly traversed the park all day dodging between the visitors – even Derek felt the need to keep his foot hard down on the pedal – so much was there to move!

By the end of the afternoon both he and Lizzie expressed themselves pleased with the outcome – if not with the size of the brash pile still to collect up, transport and burn!  But I am sure Head Gardener Caroline will be happy when she next walks around the garden – no doubt, as she has already requested extra bank holiday weekend visits! 

Thanks to all for their efforts, especially the cake bakers.