GREEN fingered apprentices have started work on a project to restore the garden of a historic Georgian style heritage house to its former glory.

Students based at Pershore College, which is part of WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group), have started renovation works on the Italianate Garden at Moreton Hall.

The Italianate Garden features an ornamental sundial, herbaceous borders, formal hedges, lawns, paving, steps and a water feature. There will also be work carried out on a small parterre which is visible on the approach to the hall.

Works on the garden are expected to be completed in 2022, with more than 80 students and apprentices involved over the course of the development.

It is the first stage in a planned project to transform the expansive grounds around the hall, which are in need of restoration.The grounds have been left unkempt following the devastating fire which seriously damaged Moreton Hall in 2008.

Matt Handy, Industrial Training Manager for Horticulture at Pershore College said: “We are able to engage apprentices from across all of our work-based learning areas with this wonderful project, as we look to restore the gardens to their original standard.

“Already we have had apprentices in surveying the area, researching planting plans, along with Italianate garden design and looking into other works of Moreton Hall’s original architect W.H Romaine-Walker. We plan to start restoring the boundary hedges of the Italianate Garden over the next few months.

“We’ve had great feedback from those involved so far. Everything they do on the site has a purpose, the range of tasks is diverse and they can see that they are contributing to a wider project with a clear end-goal."