YOUNGSTERS from six York primary schools have been digging in to bring some colour to a city shopping centre.

Monks Cross Shopping Centre joined in partnership with Askham Bryan College and Butterfly Conservation, to work with six primary schools to design planting beds at the shopping park.

The centre gave Haxby Road Academy, Stockton on Forest School, Huntington School, Hempland School, New Earswick School and Yearsley Grove School their very own planting bed at the shopping park and invited each school to submit a design for their “garden”.

Members of Askham Bryan College’s horticulture team sourced plants based on the pupils’ designs and took advice from the Butterfly Conservation to help develop gardens that will be deemed butterfly friendly.

The participating schools took part in the “planting day” on 3 July at Monks Cross Shopping and got their hands dirty by planting and watering their gardens along the walk way of the shopping centre and turning them into colourful areas for customers to enjoy.

Katherine Sharp, centre manager, said: “I would like to thank the pupils and teachers at each of the participating schools for taking this project on board to help brighten up the shopping park for our customers. The expertise from Askham Bryan College horticulture team has been invaluable in the success of this project. I look forward to seeing the finished gardens and seeing them flourish over the summer months. We will be launching a competition to choose the “best” garden while raising money for the Butterfly Conservation during the summer holidays.”