TRAFFORD Housing Trust had a winning first appearance at RHS Tatton Show.

The trust’s has been awarded a silver medal for its Rainbow Garden at this year’s flower show, which is taking place at Tatton Park this week.

The show garden was designed by Alan Nugent, Landscape Architect at CleanStart, the trust’s social enterprise which works with ex-offenders and former military personnel.

Alan Nugent said: “Designing the Rainbow Garden is a source of immense pride for me. Producing a garden is a collaborative effort, and this year I’ve led and guided a team who had never worked on a project like this before and the incredible results are there for all to see.

“Gardening is my passion, and my inspiration comes from providing opportunities through gardening for people who, for various reasons, may need a new start. Through CleanStart, the trust is providing a vital service and this garden shows what can be done when people from different backgrounds work together to achieve a shared goal.”

At the launch of the show, Alan gave the leader of Trafford Council, Sean Anstee, a tour of the Rainbow Garden.

As well as being a treat for the senses, the garden is also designed to aid learning, with QR codes incorporated into the plant tags to provide horticultural information and recipe suggestions.

Following RHS Tatton, the Rainbow Garden will be relocated to one of the Trust’s regeneration projects in Trafford and be a permanent legacy for the local community.

Larry Gold, Deputy CEO, Trafford Housing Trust, said: “This is the trust’s first time at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, and we could not be happier with the garden Alan and his team have designed. I’d like to congratulate Alan and his colleagues on being honoured with a silver medal, which is richly deserved.

"CleanStart allows the Trust to offer ex-offenders and ex-military personnel the opportunity to work in grounds maintenance, before progressing into crafts such as landscape gardening. The Rainbow Garden is symbolic of both our borough’s multicultural community and the trust’s commitment to investment in the people of Trafford.”

The trust also sponsored Stretford Grammar School’s garden, based on the classic musical The Wizard of Oz.

Students and teachers have collaborated on a design that features a cottage background with the squashed Wicked Witch of the East and her red shoes sticking out below.

The Green Emerald City doubles up as a bird feeder and a bug house, and in the middle of the garden is the famous Yellow Brick Road.