A morning of fresh air, activity and community

Meet at the shed at 10am

We meet at the Growing Hollingdean shed, on the corner of  Brentwood Road and Lynchet Close, at 10am. We wait about 10 minutes before heading to our work location within the estate. One of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers will then talk through the morning’s plan and hand out equipment. We’ll also cover some basic health and safety tips before we get started. Please arrive at 10am so we can get everyone organised and make the most of our morning. It’s free fitness, a chance to make new friends, and we always have a good laugh along the way.

What Tree Guardians did on 6th September 2026

On September 6th, we had six adults, a child and younger person on our Tree Guardians morning. The sun was shining and it was a perfect day for pruning the walnuts trees 173, 174 and 175 (Buckaneer or Broadview) and stone fruit (plums & cherry plums 179, 182) in the Merevale Orchard. We raised the canopy on a few of the trees to make mowing the area easier and weeded as well. The cuttings were chopped up and used as mulch at the base of the trees, see below why. Polly was interviewed by Pat Marsh on BBC Radio Sussex – 06/09/2026 – BBC Sounds – the interview is 1hr 15mins in and is available for the rest of the September.

Benefits of leaving prunings at the base of trees

• Nutrient recycling: As branches and leaves decompose, they return vital nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus back into the soil for the tree to reabsorb.
• Moisture retention: The debris acts as a natural mulch, shading the soil, reducing water evaporation, and keeping roots cool.
• Soil health: Decomposing wood feeds beneficial soil fungi, microbes, and earthworms, which aerates the soil and improves its structure.
• Erosion control: A layer of organic matter protects the topsoil from being washed away by heavy rain or blown by the wind.