GREEN-FINGERED residents held a seed swap to raise money for a garden for the disabled.
The Sensory Garden Club, in King George's Playing Fields off Ingrave Road, Brentwood, was set up in August 2010 and works with adults with learning difficulties.
They put on their third seed swap on Saturday morning to raise funds for the garden, which was vandalised for the third time last summer.
This year's swap took place at Hartswood Allotments in Hartswood Road.
Fortunately, the weather over the weekend was fine and more than 50 gardeners swapped their seeds and helped raise money for the voluntary group.
"People bring the seeds that they don't want and swap them for the ones that they do," said club chairman Joy Dunn, 55.
"Us gardeners always have packets left over or ones we've picked up for free in magazines."
The most in-demand seeds on Saturday were vegetable and flower seeds but lettuce proved the least popular, with dozens of packets left over at the end of the day.
The club hopes to have raised more than £100 and plans to invest the money in plants that are fragrant, interesting to touch and suitable for the most severely disabled.
The club is run by half a dozen able volunteers, a small group of disabled gardeners and a pool of people who give up their time when they can.
Last year they received a £5,000 localism grant and this year they received £1,500, which they say they will use to build a disabled-friendly vegetable plot.
Among the volunteers was Maggie Colling, 65, who was there with her grandson, six-year-old Joshua O'Shea.
She said: "We are trying to raise awareness of the club, but it's great that people get involved and come down and understand what gardening is all about."
Visiting the swap was Jackie Andrews, 71, and her husband Michael, 78, who owns a plot on the allotment.
Mrs Andrews bought a woven bag for her shopping and her husband bought seeds.
"I'm not swapping because I haven't got anything to swap with," Mr Andrews said.
Call Ms Dunn on 07974846608 or e-mail joydunn@hotmail.co.uk for more information on the group.
