Last Saturday 21st February Brendan and a group of volunteers came to clear the garden. My family members and their friends worked their backs off all day and achieved amazing results. Brendan had already pulled out many of the large shrubs with his ”grubber” I had never seen a grubber before and it is a type of winch which drags out the root. It is very effective: large industrial ones are used commercially. The only caveat is that one would need strength, it is not for the weak backed person (of whom I am one). Anyway we virtually cleared the area. The staff members and residents who plied us with refreshments all day kept coming out to view our progress.

They kept exclaiming at the amount of light being revealed and when a sea view was revealed they were really excited.

Here are some before-and-after pics

(Left) The existing shrubbery had become very overgrown. (Right) On the way out!

(Left) Griselinia, the Gardener’s “friend”, took a bit of clearing!

(Left) The original front garden, and (Right) after the new driveway was laid and some trees cleared

(Left and right above) Volunteers working on clearing the front garden

Another “before and after” of the back garden

Here we can see the side of the house after cutting down the Griselinia

And more light is revealed…

And again….

Root out …

Michael & Shane tackle a large root…

Exit Griselinia! Brendan applies the coup de grace

 

Just one of several skiploads of cleared material 

The next thing to be done is for a contractor to give us an estimate and for the work to be carried out. Carmona Services are giving what funding they can but the majority will have to be privately funded.
Anyway we will fire ahead as the seasons will not wait !
A few of us are meeting up tomorrow, 25th Feb to look at the front beds and decide what should be planted there. This are can be planted up at any point and the sooner the better. We are hoping to have a plant sale in June to fund the plants for Kilgarvon. As it is a small garden, with everybody’s help, we should raise enough. We will keep you posted.
This is a very long report but it is covering 6 months. Updates will be more concise !
More volunteers always welcome.

Emer Torpey