CREATIVE Widnes schoolchildren are celebrating success after achieving a commendation at the RHS Tatton Flower Show.

A group of enthusiastic budding horticulturists from SS Peter and Paul Catholic College teamed up with The Wonky Garden, a voluntary organisation which creates community gardens with people of all ages and abilities.

Their garden paying tribute to wartime painter Paul Nash was one point off winning first prize.

They partnered together as part of the RHS 'Greening Grey Britain’ garden design.

They won the north west section of the completion and decided to continue together with a show garden at Tatton.

This year’s gardens have an art-based theme and the children were allocated Paul Nash, a surrealist war-time painter.

During the last six months, the students spent many hours and days during their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) club activities researching, planning the garden design, sowing, growing and building the garden.

The youngsters have also been involved in many activities with The Wonky Garden including inter-generational activities with The Widnes Horticultural Society.

They have also been included in The Wonky Garden’s Britain In Bloom entry which is being filmed by the BBC2.

Their show garden will return to Ditton Community Centre for everyone to see on July 24.

Angela Hayler, from The Wonky Garden, said: "The end result was a garden representing the life and art of Nash.

"The first part of the garden depicts gentle country life before the first world war, the second represents the despair of the war and commemorates soldiers from Widnes that lost their lives through their names engraved on planks edged with poppies and two original flags to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

"The third part of the garden represents an awakening post war, when Nash’s depression lifted and his painting became more surreal and he focussed mainly on his love of clumps of trees.

"With a quirky twist in the design, the children created a giant art pallet with planting representing the main colours that he painted with.

"Whilst they narrowly missed out on first prize by one point the children really did not mind due to the commendation from the RHS judges and the was amazing interest from the public at the show.

"The students stood around the garden providing information and talking to the public about their journey.

"The team had a fantastic day out and the nine students that attended were an absolutely credit to the college and themselves."

The children celebrated their achievement at the show on Wednesday, accompanied by Ashleigh Scott, their STEM teacher and Angela Hayler and Carole Mather from The Wonky Garden.

The team had a fantastic day out and the 9 students that attended were an absolutely credit to the college and themselves."

Members of the public were bowled over by their efforts.

One person said: "It's so interesting there's a story behind it."

People described the garden as 'emotional' and 'inspirational'.

College teacher James Rhodes said he had “genuinely never been so proud of our school”.

The Wonky Garden has created community gardens at Ditton and Grangeway Community Centres.