Mediterranean garden for pensioners

The home secretary Jacqui Smith has helped open a Mediterranean themed garden in Worcestershire, it has been reported.

Ms Smith opened the garden, to be enjoyed by residents of Keats House; a home for the elderly.

The garden was made possible thanks to a £2,500 grant from energy company Central Networks, according to the Redditch Advertiser.

Redditch Council landscape and countryside officer Gavin Boyes said the residents were likely to get a great deal of enjoyment from the garden.

"The garden now has a lovely Mediterranean feel. We went to residents with initial ideas and they were involved with developing these," he told the paper.

Gardening can be an incredibly enjoyable pastime and a great form of exercise, especially for the less active.

The range of species that can be grown can be dramatically increased with the addition of a greenhouse.