GREEN-FINGERED pupils at St Mary’s Primary School in Purton wowed judges with their horticultural knowledge when they took part in a Swindon-wide gardening contest.

The youngsters have toiled through the year to produce a harvest of vegetables and last week they were rewarded when they came third in the Swindon Schools Garden Competition.

Teacher Linda Roberts, who leads the gardening club, said: “They were impressed with the children and their ability to identify the plants.”

She added the school was told that competition between the top three contestants had been very tight.

Pupils were also happy to show off the fruits of their labours.

“They get so much from it,” she explained. “It helps with their maths, English and science and their physical and mental abilities.

“And they enjoy it,” she said. “Last week they took home peas, dwarf beans, broad beans, carrots and beetroot.”

In the past they had grown strawberries, which proved very popular and even though much of their produce had been harvested for this year they were still growing vegetables like pumpkins.

The youngsters’ learning also extended to pests like slugs and snails and unwelcome or dangerous plants. “We had a rogue foxglove growing and had to remove it because the seeds are poisonous,” said Mrs Roberts.

The gardening club only has 18 members aged between five and 11, but there is always a waiting list of youngsters keen to join. She explained the number was kept low so children could get involved in all the tasks like digging and pruning with the help of supervision from volunteers.

And because the plot was in the school’s nature area where the children played during break time, all the school was able to see the produce growing and ask questions about it.

The competition organised by Swindon Allotments and Leisure Gardens Association encourages all young gardeners to take part, whether they have a few pots and are novices or experts with a full size garden plot. This year it was won by the pupils of Drove Primary School.