Chris Collins leads by example on sowing plants into one of the handmade planter containers at the Courtyard Gardens in North Walsham

A former Blue Peter gardener has shared his expertise with residents of a North Walsham retirement complex to help them get the most out of their community garden.

Chris Collins, former resident green finger on the long-running children’s television show from 2004 to 2014, joined members of Flagship’s Neighbourhood team and members of the community for the workshop at the Reeves Court flats in North Walsham.

Locals transformed the unused outdoor laundry area at Reeves Court, off Hall Lane, into a community space called The Courtyard Gardens in November with the support of social housing provider Flagship.

Members of the local community and Flagship’s neighbourhood team watch on as Chris Collins delivers a presentation on urban gardening

Chris, who is now the head of horticulture at Garden Organic, said: “This has been a really satisfying project with not only Flagship but their tenants too. I was really glad to see that everyone got a lot out of the day. The community are already well on their way with the garden they’ve made and I look forward to seeing the results of the various edible plants we sowed during our session. This is also the sort of thing I’d love to see Flagship implement in other areas.”

Chris gave a talk about past projects transforming urban areas like disused bus stops into flower and vegetable gardens, to illustrate how much can be achieved even in small areas like balconies.

The Courtyard Gardens gained handmade wooden planters courtesy of professional carpenter Phil Kennewell, whose father Paul lives locally and attended the workshop. Paul said he was keen to get his hands dirty planting and sowing with supplies provided by both Garden Organic and the Flagship team.

Paul said: “It was really satisfying to start filling these planters with produce. Chris really knew so much and we’re all excited to see our own produce growing. We’ve got some kids who are keen to get planting things like carrots and potatoes too, so we’re grateful for this session to help teach everyone how easy it is.”

Left: An herb garden container now filled with plants following the urban gardening workshop

Right: Some planter bags filled with fresh soil and ready for planting

Daniel Salliss, Flagship’s biodiversity and land manager said: “We’ve worked with Chris a few times now, and the knowledge and passion he brings is superb. It’s another project that shows our commitment to improving the green spaces around our homes, but will also empower our residents to transform the spaces around them just like they have done here.”

This workshop was one of several projects Garden Organic is undertaking with Flagship. Previous sessions have involved training with Flagship’s grounds maintenance team, as well as the creation of a garden from a disused patch of land in Wickham Market.