GREEN-FINGERED care home residents are celebrating after scooping silver in this year's special lockdown Maldon in Bloom.

Longfield care home enters the competition every year but this summer's challenge was made tougher by the coronavirus pandemic.

Luckily big-hearted Morrison's staff donated some flowers and veg to the home just after lockdown.

Staff helped residents paint the raised flower beds in the home's courtyard before planting the flowers and vegetables.

They watched them grow and even harvested some of the vegetables and prepared them for the chef to use in meals.

The home had hoped to enter the raised beds in Maldon in Bloom.

But a change in the rules because of the lockdown meant entries had to be a garden or hanging basket outside the front of the building in VE Day colours to mark the 75th anniversary.

Jome lifestyle coordinator Paula Clarke and care assistant Margaret ****** talked to residents about which red, white and blue flowers they would like to see in the garden.

Paula said: "Usually we take the residents out to the garden centres to pick out the flowers, but we couldn’t this year, so Margaret had to go and get the flowers alone.

"These were then planted in the little garden and the hanging basket.

"The residents watched from the window and told us where to plant them."

The home has now receved a silver award from Maldon in Bloom.

It was presented to them by Maldon mayor Flo Shaughnessy.

Paula added: "We were very delighted to win the silver award for both our hanging basket and garden.

"Longfield care home residents and staff wish to thank all the community for all their kind donations and all the children for their many pictures and messages. A BIG THANK YOU."