Brooksby students thrilled to help out TV gardening legend Alan Titchmarsh

They were thrilled to rub shoulders with the star of ITV’s Love Your Garden and pick his brains about garden design techniques.

It all came about when the programme makers sent an SOS to the college asking for help with a garden renovation elsewhere in the county.

They jumped at the chance with first year Level 3 Horticulture students transporting seven tonnes of top soil there to fill up raised beds and craft an undulating soil-scape ready for planting.

And on the second day it was the turn of the second year Level 3 students, who helped to plant a wide variety of plants in the garden.

The students worked alongside the Mr Titchmarsh, who also found fame on shows such as Gardeners’ World and Ground Force, and his fellow presenter Frances Tophill.

Lil Hammond, horticulture lecturer at SMB College Group’s Brooksby Campus, said: “Alan Titchmarsh was thrilled to meet the next generation of horticulturalists.

“He affectionately said ‘Would you hurry up - the industry are waiting for you’, reminisced about his days at horticultural college, and told the students about how the industry is a family as well as a career.

“All the Love your Garden team were keen to hear about the students’ career plans, and were on-hand throughout to offer advice and encouragement.

“It was fantastic for the students to have the opportunity to be involved with such an exciting design project and we all left feeling very inspired and tired.”

Viewers will see get to see what the Brooksby students got up to when the show is aired next spring.

Jo Wilkes, glasshouse and horticultural coordinator at SMB College Group, which manages the college, added: “Everyone enjoyed their time on set, worked hard to achieve the goals that had been set, and learned a lot about working on the site of a large-scale design project.

“The students were able to see how such a project takes shape and the work required to achieve the final design.

“To top it off, we were all able to meet and work with the lovely Alan Titchmarsh.

“Everyone is excited to see the finished show, which will air in the spring.”

The Brooksby college has a good reputation for its land-based education and training, offering a variety of qualifications in Horticulture, Countryside and Environmental Management, Agriculture, Floristry and Land-based Engineering.

Students learn at the 850-acre rural campus, which features 12 acres of gardens, purpose-built workshops and state-of-the-art glasshouse facilities.

Love Your Garden, which travels the UK to surprise deserving people by transforming their outdoor spaces, is shown on Tuesdays at 8pm on ITV, or on catch-up on ITV Hub.