A garden charity based in Battersea Park held an open day to kick off its Chelsea Fringe activities.

Thrive gardens open day was bursting with activities, including children planting tomatoes with Hort therapist Julie.

At the event on Sunday, May 20, visitors enjoyed looking at the charities logo which had been planted with purple pansies and parsley.

Taking advantage of the great weather, attendees went on tours around the Main Garden on East Carriage Drive in the park as well as strolling through the Winter Garden, the Herb Garden and the Old English Garden.

Guests were able take a masterclass from Zoe Burt, learning how to dye textiles and paper using a range of food including fruit and vegetables.

Thrive’s volunteers helped to sell plants and more than £400 was raised through plant sales, teas and homemade cakes, as well as art on sale in the Main Garden hut hosted by Mel Berry.

The client gardeners, who had worked hard to make sure the gardens looked great for visitors, thoroughly enjoyed the day and cared for plants in the kiosk.

Thrive charity uses gardening to provide positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, or those who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.

Also as part of Chelsea Fringe, the gardens will be filled with planted-up wellies on sale, which would make a quirky feature in any garden, allotment or balcony and this runs until Friday, May 25.

The charity have recently highlighted the connection between Shakespeare and plants in its gardens, with quotes about plants from the works of Shakespeare and pictures coloured in by client gardeners displayed next to the plants in creative ways.

For more information about the charity, visit their website: https://www.thrive.org.uk/thrive-battersea.aspx.