Cheddar Parish Council has announced that the island beds in the River Yeo between the Garden of Fragrance and Fortes are to be renovated. Over the past few years the beds have become very overgrown and unsightly as the village contractor has struggled to maintain them.
Now My Cheddar has offered to help, having completed the renovation of Hannah More Cottage garden earlier this year. The first area to be tackled will be the peninsular bed adjoining the Garden of Fragrance, with most of the surface vegetation being cleared, but leaving the ivy growing on the retaining walls and a fringe of protective foliage at the top, to ensure that the walls themselves are not damaged.
The Parish Council has consulted Natural England, Bristol Water and local wildlife experts to come up with a plan of action for the work which will minimise disturbance to any wildlife. Chairman Christina Brown said “We are delighted that My Cheddar have agreed to carry out the work, as they did such a splendid job at Hannah More Cottage. It’s nice to have local people who genuinely care about the village to manage the project and because they are volunteers it will keep the cost to the parish down.”
Work is expected to begin in January and will continue through the winter when both plant and animal life are relatively dormant, with a pause during the spring and summer before resuming next autumn. My Cheddar are asking for volunteers to help with the work, which will involve just a few hours every week or so, when the weather is fine. Anyone interested should email mycheddargardeners@gmail.com or see www.mycheddar.co.uk.