Tewkesbury pupils are set to transform their school garden, with support from the county's newest garden centre.

Dobbies Garden Centres is due to open next month, as the flagship store at the new 195,000 sq ft Cotswolds Designer Outlet on the outskirts of Tewkesbury. It will be the retailer's biggest store in the South West.

Ashchurch Primary School, which has 136 pupils including children with additional learning needs, has a large garden space which is in desperate need of a makeover.

Together with one of the school's teachers, Rachel Willis, pupils from year 1 to year 6 have enjoyed learning about the benefits of gardening, with some classes enjoying weekly gardening sessions in their allotment with Mrs Willis.

And now with the support of Dobbies Garden Centres, which also has stores in Cirencester and near Gloucester, they are looking forward to bringing new life to the garden.

Marcus Eyles, horticultural director at Dobbies Garden Centres, visited the school to discuss future plans for the garden and to provide pupils with some gardening tips and advice.

The retailer will also donate plants, gardening equipment, peat-free compost, and microgreen kits for Ashchurch's classrooms, while it has further plans to help revamp the school's sensory garden.

Pupils at Ashchurch - along with headteacher, Richard Gibson, deputy head Sam Rickaby, and Rachel Willis - have been invited to the opening of the Tewkesbury store to pick out gardening products from their wish list.

Dobbies is also donating the school one of its sustainably grown Christmas trees through its Not Your Average Community campaign, which offers community groups, charities, schools and clubs a real tree to brighten up their festive season.

Richard Gibson, headteacher of Ashchurch Primary School, said: "We are really passionate about gardening at Ashchurch and believe it provides us with the opportunity to teach many areas of the national curriculum outside of the classroom. We are very lucky to have our own allotment alongside our playing field, but it is in need of some tender loving care.

"We are so grateful to Marcus for his ideas and to Dobbies for their commitment to helping us regenerate the allotment and sensory garden. We look forward to visiting their new flagship store in Tewkesbury."

Marcus Eyles, horticultural director of Dobbies Garden Centres, said: "At Dobbies, we are committed to promoting the benefits of gardening, and so it was fantastic to see so many young people at Ashchurch with a keen interest in the activity. I am very much looking forward to the project and to see the finished transformation."