GREEN-fingered students from Camborne Pool Redruth College spent four glorious days on the Isles of Scilly, beautifying the Abbey Gardens on Tresco.

Local students Richard Bryant, Nigel Willoughby, Vivian Curtis and Patrick Libby are studying on the RSA Horticulture course at the Centre for Foundation Studies and have moderate learning difficulties.

They were the first group from the centre to be invited to spend their work experience on Tresco and were extremely proud to be working in one of the most visited and popular gardens in the country. At last they were able to show off the skills acquired at the centre's own horticulture centre and put it to public use.

Tackling a wide range of tasks, such as clearing bracken from azaleas, removing overgrowth around the agapanthus on the main drive to the abbey, or weeding and hoeing in the organic kitchen garden, the students' extra hands made a valuable contribution to their gardening colleagues from the Scillies. These were impressed, not only with the quality of the students' work, but also with the care, interest and enthusiasm they displayed.

This co-operation between foundation studies' students and Abbey Gardens was a first, but will by no means remain the last.

Brian Johns, technical demonstrator and tutor at Camborne Pool Redruth College, said: "First impressions are important. Our students have done us proud here at Tresco; we've been invited back to help with the work whenever we can slot it in. And who wouldn't want to be part of this? We'll be back for more!"