Well I never!

Had a great day back at Wakehurst today, helping with a group of Year 8s. It was torrential rain for much of the morning and we all got soaked through as we did pond dipping at the Nature Reserve and then a visitor survey around the garden but the kids were superstars and didn't complain at all. Went to a couple of areas I hadn't been to before so I felt I'd had a bit of an adventure as well.

At lunchtime there was a party for everyone who'd helped create the maze. There was food and speeches and the lovely lady-artist who'd designed it (and who became a pretty mean pointer herself!) had come back down as well. We even all got badges that said 'I'm amazing!' (get it: a-maze-ing?!?). Of course, it was no surprise that once they had plied us with cake they happened to mention that they might have a few future projects in the pipeline which we might like to help with? Well, they said it so nicely (and the cakes were so lovely) that how could we refuse? :-D

They had a cherry-picker down at the site which was officially so they could take aerial pictures of the maze but any staff or volunteers who wanted to could go up in it just for fun. Unfortunately I had to get back to my school group so not only did I miss a ride on the cherry-picker but I think I'm now the only one who hasn't seen the maze finished! Will have to take the kids up there over the weekend as I can't wait to see it. And talking of the kids, one of the shots they were in from the photoshoot they did a while ago is now a huge poster at the entrance, which made me do a double-take as I drove in this morning!

Anyway, despite all that excitement, the thing which surprised me the most today was this beetle. Haven't managed to find out what it is but it was the size of a ladybird and was so shiny that I thought it was someone's earring at first.


Many thanks to Mollyblobs for coming through for us again and identifying it as a Rosemary Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina americana).