Willow planting rooted in community spirit

A WARM January Sunday was the perfect time to get together in the Mermaid Campsite for a bit of willow planting.

Several residents gathered to plant the many pieces of willow in the campsite, which is next to the Mermaid Tavern. This popular spot is where many of the island's seasonal campers stay during the summer months.

The wood had been cut from trees up at the farm to make way for a new sensory garden being created outside the village hall for the playgroup children to enjoy. As with everything else on the island, what isn't needed in one place can generally be useful somewhere else.

It's always a nice change in winter to have these little get-togethers to help the gardening team. It doesn't hurt that this field has beautiful views over Fisherman's Beach to Guernsey and that it was a lovely, mild sunny morning.

The willows were planted in this spot in particular as the species takes moisture out of the ground and will stop the campsite from getting too muddy.

They will also offer a little bit of privacy for the campers and shelter them from the main path.

It apparently takes about two years for the planted sticks to take root and become trees.

In other parts of the island, renovation work is ongoing in several buildings.

More hotel bathrooms are being made over this winter and some of the self-catering cottages are getting a little facelift.

These are our last few weeks to get everything looking good for the season ahead, as we have Valentine's Day to look forward to and special music weekends going on at the Mermaid when it reopens next month.