A new community garden, set in woodland at the top of Corkscrew Hill in Devonshire, was opened yesterday.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said more gardens were on the way, with sites under review in the East End. The goal is to have a garden in every parish.

The field of freshly dug plots, cleared by the Department of Parks, lies in the Avocado Lodge park off Middle Road.

There are ten 15ft by 12ft plots on offer.

Colonel Burch said: “I want to remind everyone that very little experience is required.

“All that is needed is a love for our community and a desire to feed oneself.

“It’s also clear that each garden must have a leader — ideally from the neighbourhood — who is passionate about gardening and who will be the driving force to making it a success.”

He said another garden was ready on the premises of the former TN Tatem Middle School in Warwick.

The TN Tatem Community Partners Garden is led by professional boxer Nikki Bascome.

Mr Bascome is being assisted by Dave and Jocille Blakeney, managers of the Serenity Garden at the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Park in Southampton.

Colonel Burch said: “Anyone interested in a plot can go to TN Tatem and make the arrangements directly with Nikki.”

Promoting community gardens was an election platform promise of the Progressive Labour Party in 2017.

Avocado Lodge lies not far from the longest-established such gardens at Crow Lane, established in 1984 and led by Gloria and Rawle Frederick.

Colonel Burch asked for volunteers interested in leading new gardens to contact Jameka Smith, the acting park planner at the Department of Parks.

He also thanked senior parks superintendent Stephen Furbert for his work on the programme.

The minister reminded the public to avail themselves of free mulch at the Marsh Folly waste disposal site in Pembroke.

Colonel Burch said requests for “truckloads” of the mulch at various neighbourhood collection points were a testament to the growing interest in gardening since the Covid-19 lockdown this year.

He said requests for deliveries could be made to an area MP.

Colonel Burch called on landowners with unused property to consider turning it over for their communities to grow food — similar to one announced over the summer at Friswell’s Hill in Pembroke, announced by area MP Michael Weeks.

He said parks staff were “more than willing” to pitch in and help.