A LOCAL MP has challenged people to design an Olympics garden.

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh (right) joined Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell to challenge Huddersfield gardeners to design a Great British Garden for the London 2012 Olympic Park.

Run in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the contest is designed to showcase one of the UK’s favourite pastimes of gardening.

Huddersfield gardeners and their green fingered neighbours from across the country are asked to submit ideas for a quarter acre site expressing the unique qualities of a British domestic garden within contemporary parkland, so that visitors feel like they are wandering through someone’s garden.

Six finalists will be short-listed by a panel of experts before being put to a public vote in September 2009.

Mrs Creagh said: “I’ve seen some wonderful gardens when I’ve been out and about in Huddersfield talking to constituents. It’s obvious we’ve got some serious gardening talent!

“In fact if gardening were an Olympic sport then Huddersfield gardeners would surely win gold!

“I hope that Huddersfield’s green-fingered gardening gurus will answer the call and represent Huddersfield in this exciting national competition.”

Entry forms can be downloaded from the RHS website at: www.rhs.org.uk/news/olympicpark.asp