Work has started on Wimborne’s new community garden.

On Friday 6 May, the Wimborne First School site – which will become Beaucroft College – had an empty school field outside it, but by the end of Sunday 8 May, it had the clear signs of the development of a community garden.

On the afternoons of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 May, many hard-working volunteers of all ages turned up and transformed the field in to a garden with 12 dug beds for flowers, veggies, a large soft fruit area and a huge no-dig section. A total of 10 cubic metres of compost was wheel barrowed and put on top of all the beds. Not only that, the turf that was taken up was moved to the children’s area in the planned garden and transformed into magical grassy structures under the trees.

Spokesman Jane Benson said: “So we are now the proud owners of an amazing snake, a ponderous turtle and a fun doughnut ring. We also had volunteers potting up plants ready to go in the beds while others widened the access pathway through the ‘wild’ garden so that, when the paths are laid, it will be easy for anyone in a wheelchair to access the garden too.

“We have had so much kindness and generosity shown to us from large companies like Dorset Soils, MB Wilks, Home Instead, The Linwood Sawmill, The Green Man Pub in Wimborne, as well as a huge amounts of help and support from the Wimborne First Scouts, the Nursery in Redcotts Lane, Year 9 students at the Queen Elizabeth School, as well as countless donations from the public of tools and even a greenhouse and roofing felt. The name ‘Community’ says it all.

“It was a glorious weekend: the weather was on our side; the volunteers were extraordinary; we ticked off so many jobs but, maybe most importantly, we had fun and really enjoyed each other’s company. I think it’s safe to say, Wimborne Community Garden has begun and we can’t wait to see how we continue to grow and flourish.”