Fermoy’s organise a popular competition at the regional County Show each year, encouraging schools to grow and design their own allotments.

More than 30 schools rose to the challenge of this year’s theme, ‘A Vegetable Garden in a Recycled Container’, and grew gardens in all sorts of recycled objects, from a supermarket trolley and old tyres to wash stands and even a cardboard box.

Over 5,000 show visitors voted for their favourite garden and the eventual winners were Landscove Primary School in Ashburton, Devon with their Shoe Plant Tree, which captured more than 600 votes. Pupils grew veg in an old shoe or boot to create the winning sculpture.

Sarah Dumont from Fermoys was delighted with the imagination of the entries. “With the poor growing conditions we knew that some schools were finding it hard to get plants ready so early on in the season, but what they lacked in quality of planting they made up for in the quality of their designs and had lots of fun,” she said.

The Devon based Garden Centre have developed strong links with lots of local schools over the past few years and are always keen to work with schools to encourage  gardeners of the future.

Below: The New Shoe Tree Plant