A TEAM of green-fingered students and staff at a York college are aiming for a top prize at the world’s most famous flower show.

Under lecturer Harry Turner’s leadership, past and present stonemasonry, landscape and horticulture students at Askham Bryan College will enter the Urban Garden competition at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The team hopes its work over ten days will earn it a prestigious gold medal.

The garden, entitled Growing World Glass Talent: Celebrating The Workforce Of Tomorrow will include edible, ornamental and native plants.

It will also feature a pond with central carved stone, flint panel walls filled with lime mortar to encourage nesting insects, decking and a lawn mixed with native wild flowers, such as daisies. Mr Turner said: “It is a relatively formal garden, designed with a busy young couple in mind.

“Among the more unusual features is a York sandstone wall with in-built nesting boxes to encourage different bird species.”

A spokeswoman for the college said the students have been practising different aspects of constructing the garden, including building walls and carving stones.

She said: “It has to be so slick on the day; it’s almost like a military operation.”

The designer is Paul Green, a chartered landscape architect, who has been involved with the college for a number of years.

Mr Turner said: “Horticulture is something for which Askham Bryan College is renowned and we have both existing and former students taking part in preparing the garden.

“Chelsea is Britain’s flagship horticultural event, so it’s hugely exciting as well as extremely challenging to be competing.”

The garden is being backed by UK Skill, a non-profit organisation championing skills and learning for work through competitions and awards.

The college’s garden will be located at RHW 43 in the flower show, running from May 25 to 29.