AN Ellesmere Port primary school has received a big garden makeover thanks to the local community.

Woodlands Primary School received the revamp after Premier Plants, Ledsham, Burleydam Garden Centre and CED Stone, Hooton all chipped in to help.

Woodlands Primary School pupils get involved in the planting.

Woodlands Primary School pupils get involved in the planting.

Headteacher Dr Victoria Carr and deputy head Sharon Liversey spent a morning recently visiting local businesses begging for their help, to ‘sponsor’ one of four large children’s planters in the school grounds.

Dr Carr said: “We want our children to engage with the outdoors, to grow things and enjoy wildlife and the positive impact of nurturing plants, vegetables and flowers.

Woodlands Primary School pupils get involved in the planting.

Woodlands Primary School pupils get involved in the planting.

"School budgets being what they are, this is a luxury we cannot afford so we have looked outwards to local businesses to support this community and social endeavour.”

Premier Plants were very willing to help, donating plants and compost without hesitation, while CED Stone were equally ready to support the endeavours of the school and from whom two huge bags of stones and some weed matting were donated. Burleydam also offered to support the school, and no doubt Dr Carr will be co-ordinating this during half-term holiday.

Premier Plants didnt hesitate to help out the Ellesmere Port school.

Premier Plants didn't hesitate to help out the Ellesmere Port school.

The children were so keen to make a start that they planted their plants within two hours of them being brought back from Premier Plants, only after Dr Carr dug over the soil and taught them how to read the labels and best place them for sun exposure, growth, height difference, colour and wildlife attraction.

One child mentioned his intent to plant, now they knew how to, with their family, in order to enjoy quality time.

Woodlands Primary School pupils get involved in the planting.

Woodlands Primary School pupils get involved in the planting.

The director of Burleydam Garden Centre, Sally Cornelissen, pledged to support the school. She said: “I am always so pleased to hear that schools are encouraging a love of gardening within the curriculum; so many children have no knowledge of where their vegetables and salad come from, the importance of flowers for pollinators or the seasonality of our plantlife.”

Parents have all been asked to 'pick up a perennial' over half term and donate a single plant on the first day back so that more children can get involved in gardening and one staff member, with links to a school in Ghana, was proud to share a £10 donation which has bought compost for school.

Dr Carr added: “Schools can’t manage on their own anymore, and local support means the world to our children."

Woodlands Primary School is having an open day in two weeks, with everyone invited to visit. The PTA will be serving drinks and the children will all be putting on various activities.