Young gardeners invited to design edible garden

Young gardeners in Bristol are being given the chance to have their talents recognised by thousands of visitors to the local zoo.

Bristol Zoo is running a competition for which children with an interest in gardens and greenhouses must design an edible garden.

The winners will see their design put into practice and will even get their hands dirty by putting the first plants in themselves, reports the BBC.

Bristol in Bloom chairman Mike Crook, whose organisation is backing the competition, explained that the summer display is a great way of educating child gardeners.

"This is a wonderful project which raises childrens awareness of where their food comes from," he said.

"The fruits of their labours will then be appreciated by all those who visit the zoo over the summer."

Growing your own food has become ever more popular over the past few years as a result of the financial downturn and a spike in food prices.

Bristol Zoo has over 400 animal species and visitors can expect to see gorillas, lions and even penguins.