CARE home residents at St John's Court in Bromsgrove helped to design the home's new rear garden, which went on to win second place in a gardening competition.

The competition, organised by care home owners Somerset Redstone Trust, tested care facilities' gardens across the facility on their appearance, colour and residents' involvement.

St John's old rear garden was small and overshadowed, so staff took on the challenge of transforming the garden, based on requests from the home's elderly residents.

The team installed a water feature, thanks to funding from a resident's family member Ann Green, and arranged plants, ornaments and lights to make the garden bright and colourful.

Residents helped to paint the fence and bench pink and blue, and fish were added to the water feature, which will now be looked after by those at the home.

An oriental area was also added, with figurines and bamboo, too add another focal point to the garden.

St John's missed out on the competition's top spot by just one point, but judges were impressed by the overall improvement of the garden and awarded the home with £75 worth of garden vouchers.

Care home manager Laura Wilkes said: "We have had a lovely time planning and working in the garden but most importantly, we now have a beautiful garden to enjoy, listening to the water fall to have out afternoon teas."