GREEN-fingered students at a Kidderminster school saw their space-themed display awarded second place by judges at this year’s Malvern Spring Festival.

Pupils at Franche Community Primary School, in Chestnut Grove, had been busy designing, planning and constructing the garden for their entry ‘Galactic Growing Galaxy’.

Mentored and supported by Amanda Fassnidge and Katie Roberts, pupils in year five led the school project working with landscape gardener, Chris Collins. Their garden was inspired by the recent Mars Mission and was centred on sustainable gardening principles.

The garden comprised of two tiers to represent the two hemispheres of the planet. Other notable features included a rocket weather vane and a crater emitting steam to resemble the water vapour found on Mars.

Mrs Fassnidge, year five teacher, said: “The children have demonstrated great collaboration in the recent months and even greater resilience during the last two weeks of the construction of the garden, facing the unpredictable great British weather - wind, rain and even hail didn’t stop their perseverance in the completion of the garden.”

Joshua Amphlett-Sallis, year five pupil, added: “I have really enjoyed taking part in this competition and learning new skills that I can use at home.

“I have been really proud of the work that everyone at Franche has put into the garden. It was really exciting to be able to represent the school and speak to the judges about particular plants that we had chosen to represent Mars.”

As well as coming second overall, Franche was also ‘highly commended’ for ‘sharing the best in gardening’ for their ‘Galactic Growing Galaxy’.