GARDENERS of all ages sowed seeds for the future as Grimsby Institute branched out into the community to help plant a new wildlife garden.
Pupils from Macaulay Primary Academy, Grimsby, joined forces with the Institute's horticulture students to plant trees on the Nuns' Corner campus.
The trees will be part of a wildlife garden that includes silver birch, dogwood and wild rose trees, which will be used to train horticulturists of the future.
Andrew Daniel, Grimsby Institute's horticulture site co-ordinator, said: "It will encourage wildlife and be used as a learning resource for our students but also for the community to take part in activities.
"It is about promoting sustainability and will help people of a young age understand the environment around them and its importance in the future."
The derelict Hereford building, formerly used by the council, was demolished to make room for the new garden and the trees were donated by the Woodland Trust as part of the Jubilee Project – to plant 6-million in honour of the Queen's 60th year on the throne.
Keith Beedie, group director of the Grimsby Institute's estates, said that the garden would improve the area.
"Nuns' Corner is quite built-up so it is always nice to add a bit of green to improve it," he said. "It's great that we can invite children in regularly for activities and that it will also be a functional area for our students."
It was the older students who put in the hard graft but they enjoyed working with the younger Macaulay pupils, who were invited in as part of the Institute's Have A Go week.
Paulo Gomes, 44, horticulture student, said: "It is very important to teach young people about the environment and trees because if we allow them to decline, we will all perish."
Fellow student Billy Lord, 35, said: "It was good to get out there and work with kids because they seemed to really enjoy it and get stuck in."
Jane Saunders, principal of Macaulay school, said: "Today fits in well with our aim to teach children about the environment and encourage them to contribute to their community.
"Hopefully, they will take that lesson with them when they leave school and will improve our area in later life."
Student Ashleigh Sadler, 9, said: "It was really fun and I want to join the school gardening club now and maybe garden at home.
"I got a bit muddier than I thought, though, and I don't think my mummy is going to be very pleased!"
