February Update

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026!

📅EVENTS AT THE GARDEN

🍎Saturday, 7th February, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Wassail With Us - Free and fun event. A Wassail is an Anglo-Saxon tradition of blessing an orchard to ensure a good harvest. The celebration involves decorating a tree, singing, poetry and apple juice and snacks. Limited to 50 spaces, so grab a ticket HERE 

🍂Saturday, 28th February, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm - Family Nature Connection session with Jane, a perfect event for families to slow down, explore, and enjoy meaningful time together outdoors » TICKETS 

🌾Sunday, 1st March, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm - Guildford Seed Swap - Trinity Centre, GU1 3RR INFO

🥄Sunday, 8th March - Bodgers day in the Hub - closed group, please contact Guildford Spoon Carvers for details.

🌍EVENTS AT ZERO GUILDFORD » CLICK

🐦‍⬛ALAN’S TWITCHING NEWS

Have you ever looked up at Rosamund and wondered who else is sharing the space with us?

Helen suggested that if anyone should jot down a few words about the birds of Rosamund Gardens and Pewley Down, it ought to be one of our regular watchers. Enter Alan, frequently spotted in the area with binoculars in hand. We are delighted that he has agreed to contribute regular updates. Thank you, Alan.

From a Barn Owl roosting in the loo to Firecrests zipping through the hedges, from migrating Ring Ouzels to the unexpected glide of a Red Kite overhead, Pewley and Rosamund are far busier than we might realise.

In this reflection on what was seen across 2025, Alan shares the highlights, surprises and shifting patterns that tell a bigger story about migration routes, changing seasons and our warming climate. It is a lovely reminder that our garden sits within something much wider and wilder.

Read on below to discover the highlights and perhaps be inspired to start your own…

CLICK

🐌GARDEN UPDATE

by Clare Millington

With the lengthening days and milder weather, the volunteers have been working on various projects around the garden to get things ready for the growing season.

The salad plants have been trimmed and weeded in Poly 1 to encourage the new growth flush in the next month. They’ve done well over the winter and we’re looking forward to the usual bounty when things warm up and the days get lighter.

The DofE students have been making lovely new signs for the trees and plants in the garden. We hope to get all the permanent and perennial plants labelled this year.

The new Bronze award students had a fun session in the Hub, making willow crowns for this Saturday’s Wassail event.

Some of the kids have taken on the new beds under the trellis and made a great start weeding and mulching with cardboard, ready for the compost, which will be ready in Feb.

Chris Harlow from Fully Charged Guildford came and offered his expertise to finally put the tin roof on the storage area, which looks very smart and is now water-proof. Thank you!

Ann is sorting through the seeds and making a list of things we need to order for the sowing season. We managed to save a lot of seed last year, so hopefully we’ll have lots to share and plant in the garden.

The Hub

Things are moving along nicely with the tricky sections at the tops of the walls being filled with wire frames and wool ready for another session of daubing.

Malcolm and I have completed half the bamboo guttering and the wooden barrels are full of water already (not really surprising with all this rain!)

The Guildford Spoon Carvers had a very successful gathering, with a record turnout and new members joining the group. They had a big cook-up over the fire and managed to stay cosy by the woodburner despite the mizzle.

We’ve had several enquiries already this year from local people interested in running some workshops at the Hub and garden, so watch this space for some fun and educational times ahead.

We are also welcoming back some local corporate groups to come and do some community volunteering this Spring, bringing their energy and enthusiasm to our various projects.

🐮LOOKERING

by Helen Harris

Our expanded Lookering volunteer team have been working hard to ensure the welfare of the Belted Galloway cows and Boreray-Wiltshire horn sheep we are hosting from Surrey Wildlife Trust.

This year, the Rosamund Gardens Lookerers are joined by new volunteers from Friends of Pewley Meadows and Zero Carbon Guildford.

The animals need a daily visual check to make sure they are all present, fit and healthy and that their water supply is available - hard work in January's cold snap when the ice on their trough needed breaking morning and evening!

🎟️EVENTS UPDATE

by Jane Tyson

It feels like a while ago now. On Sunday, 7 December, we gathered for our annual Wreath Making Workshop at the garden and what a lovely morning it was.

Despite the wintry weather outside, the hub kept us dry and warm while everyone crafted their own beautiful wreaths to take home. There is something rather special about creating together as the season turns.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us. The workshop sold out quickly and we are delighted it was such a success.

On Saturday, 20th December, we also enjoyed our Rosamund Community Garden festive get-together. It was lovely to see our community coming together.

This Saturday, 7th February, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, you are invited to our fun and free Wassaling event! Bring a spoon and a pot to help chase away the ‘evil spirits’ and take part in blessing our orchard. Maybe you will be crowned our Wassail King and Queen? » INFO AND TICKETS

👩🏻‍🌾FEBRUARY JOBS AT THE GARDEN

• Cutting back brambles and nettles

• Weeding and mulching beds

• Remove dead stalks and leaves and put on compost

🎟️JOINING INFO

https://www.guildfordcommunitygarden.org.uk/

We look forward to seeing you in the garden soon!