We Ex-seeded expectations!

On a pleasant Thursday evening, 7 GoodGym runners ran to help at Rumney Seedlings Community Garden. Darren, Lucy, Ellen and Nathan met to run the three and a half miles from the centre of Cardiff together. Along the way they met with Emma who joined them for the last mile of their run. Poor Ellen took a little trip and tumble but like a trooper was back on her feet to finish the run to Rumney Hyb where she was cleaned up and ready to paint.

On arrival we met Mark, the task organiser who spoke to us about the activities that happen at Rumney Seedlings and the tasks he had for us tonight. Part way through, Ben came flying in through the gate to join having taken a 4.5 mile scenic route to the Hyb. It was time to get the tools out of the store and crack on. The boys became the weeders and the girls the painters. The painters tackled the final two planters left to be painted at the site – on previous visits we have managed to get all the other planters painted and protected from the elements. They chose two contrasting shades of green and got to work and within 30 minutes the planters were done! Meanwhile the boys were digging up the weeds in the first planter they needed to tackle. Mark had instructed them never to leave a spade unattended on the ground as this can lead to an injury.. just a few minutes later Nathan was reprimanded for leaving his spade on the floor with a jokey ticking off from Mark .. Oh Nathan! Part way through weeding the first planter, another runner arrived - it was Pete who had cycled part way and ran the rest. He was introduced to Mark and the Rumney Seedlings garden and then quickly joined team weeders.

With the painting complete, the girls washed up the brushes and pots before donning gardening gloves to go to help the boys with the second pollinator planter. It was all hands on deck to tackle the weeds that had sprung up amongst the beautiful flowers and herbs. Several buckets were filled with the removed weeds and transferred to the wheelbarrow for Nathan and Pete to go to empty by the compost heap. Ben also found time to help out a member of the public who had been at the Hyb and on walking back to his car had managed to drop his car key down a drain! Ben sprung into action lifting the drain cover and reaching down to rescue the key. What a hero!

Ninety minutes after we had arrived it was time to pack away our tools, have our group photo and thank Mark for a brilliant task! We set off on our runs home running as a group (once Nathan had re tied his laces and Ellen had happily discovered the paint on her watch could be picked off - hooray!). After a mile, it was time for Emma to bid us farewell as she turned off towards home. A further half a mile on as the group turned to head towards the city centre, Pete headed off separately in the direction of his house. On the next part of the run it was discussed that Lucy and Ben had become the proud owners of a rather large carrot cake today and that perhaps Darren and Nathan may like to sample it just to make sure it was edible of course! As Ellen headed through the city centre towards home, the remaining four turned towards the Bay and to the awaiting carrot cake. I can report that all cake eaters confirmed the cake as delicious and was a well earned treat after the 7 mile run and hard work at Rumney Seedlings.

After visiting Rumney Seedlings several times through the Autumn and Winter months it was great to see the garden in daylight in all its glory. We are looking forward to our next visit to Mark in July !