A PRIMARY school from Bromsgrove and another from Redditch recently joined the BBC Blue Peter Gardener Chris Collins when he hosted a workshop with budding gardeners ahead of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival’s School Gardens Challenge.

They were joined by other children from across the county, along with Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, as they immersed themselves in an action packed day of inspiring advice and guidance from the children’s television favourite.

These aspiring young gardeners will now prepare their designs over the coming months in readiness for the leading event’s School Gardens Challenge in May. 

Ken Nottage, CEO of Three Counties, said: “We are deeply passionate about engaging the next generation of gardeners in the amazing world of horticulture.

“The RHS Malvern Spring Festival’s School Gardens challenge is a great introduction and allows children to see their designs stand on the same stage as the country’s finest RHS medal winning designers.

"We never cease to be amazed by the creativity and imagination school children bring to the School Gardens Challenge. Their designs are a real highlight of the show and always receive rave reviews from our visitors. We can’t wait to see what 2017 will bring and have no doubt the designs will be just as glorious.”

The RHS Malvern Spring Festival is one of the only RHS Shows in the UK to have a collection of Show Gardens designed and built entirely by young people. This year sees over 12 schools and education groups from across the three counties taking part.

Each group will create gardeners on the all-new theme of ‘Space’. The 2017 theme celebrates the 350th anniversary of Isaac Newton’s groundbreaking discovery of gravity, alongside the 60th anniversary of the launch of the world’s first satellite, Sputnik.

Chris Collins enters his third year as School Gardens Champion. He said: “I’m delighted to be taking up the post as School Gardens Champion for my third year. RHS Malvern Spring Festival is really paving the way for introducing gardening into the curriculum and the School Gardens Challenge is a fantastic way to take education outside of the classroom. I can’t wait to be involved for another year and see the variety of designs come to life.”

Worcestershire school’s that rolled up their sleeves and took part in the workshop included Bromsgrove School, and Beoley First School, as well as others from Malvern Wells and Bredon.

Building of the school Show Gardens will commence at the end of April and will take approximately one week to build.

RHS experts will then judge the gardens on Wednesday May 10, ahead of the show opening to the public the following day.

Following record numbers in 2016, over 100,000 people are expected to descend on the Three Counties Showground for next year’s event.

The RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2017 will take place from Thursday, May 11 until Sunday, May 14.