Our winter season was heralded by a planting of holly bushes along the edge of the Green, bordering the approach to Wells House, the former hydro where Charles Darwin stayed whilst undergoing hydropathic treatment ('the cold water cure').  A sizeable proportion of this extensive belt consists of self-sown seedlings transplanted from other areas of the site. It will screen off the Green from traffic using the drive, whilst encouraging pedestrian use of the attractive new 'Sand Path'  named in honour of the famous original in Darwin's own garden at Down House.

The season's plantings also included a clump of colourful cotoneasters near the entrance to Wells House, and golden-fruited rowan trees which should give an impressive display for many years to come.

Dedicated volunteers worked hard to clear all pathways of leaves in time for the Christmas and New Year holidays; and New Year's Day saw a superb turnout of people to help mulch the developing wildlife hedgerow with wood chips recycled from other parts of the site. As Spring approaches, we are removing all the treeguards from the hedgerow, giving the plants more space to develop a good thickness of growth in the coming season.

As a light-hearted way of starting the New Year (and hopefully attracting new volunteers) we are now publicising our work party dates as 'Green Gym' sessions. The idea is that tackling a range of maintenance tasks on the Millennium Green provides a natural workout in the fresh air - helping volunteers to stay fit and healthy throughout the year, whilst benefitting the local environment for all to enjoy!

A new display board has now been installed beside the Millennium Maze, showing a list of all  individuals, families and organisations to whom maze flagstones have been dedicated. The list will be updated quarterly as new dedications are made, and the board includes a map showing where each of the individually numbered stones are sited within the maze.

Free visitor information leaflets are now available from a box beneath our main signboard (by the car park area), and these also include information and application forms for dedicating flagstones in the Millennium Maze. We welcome your involvement and support for this community project, and hope that it will continue to provide a valuable source of 'recreation & relaxation, education & inspiration' in the future.

Please remember that all our progress updates, plus a host of other information about Darwin Gardens Millennium Green is available on-line at www.darwingardens.co.uk The website now includes a new picture gallery and links to other sites of related interest, making Darwin Gardens Millennium Green a place for all seasons, indoors as well as out!