TWELVE months in the making, a barren area in Bow Garden Centre and Bow Aquatic Centre has been transformed into a place of interest and pleasure.

The display gardens area has been planted with more than 500 shrubs, herbaceous and pond plants.

All are labelled for easy identification to enable those who wish to buy similar plants to know what they look like.

Paths lead around the gardens past the plants and pet area, which contains rabbits, chickens, ducks and guinea pigs.  They take visitors past the huge koi pond, which contains some large koi.

Other ponds contain koi of various sizes and there are many for sale.

There is also an allotment which can be viewed to give other people ideas of what to plant.

During an open weekend at the Garden and Aquatic Centre, the new garden area was officially opened with the release of 20 white doves by Finn Muggeridge, aged 5, grandson of managing partner Peter Muggeridge.

The occasion was also used by Peter to present a cheque for £1,000 to the charity, Devon Air Ambulance Trust, which was received by volunteer, Graham King.

Mr Muggeridge said that the money came from the sale of 5,000 20p bags of fish food from a dispenser in the Aquatic area.

Children and adults alike greatly enjoy feeding the koi during their visits.

Mr Muggeridge added that the cheque now brought the total collected for the charity in recent years from the sale of the fish food for DAAT to £3,500.

The new garden area also has colour themed borders, a cornflower meadow garden, bog garden, damp area garden, fruit garden, cutting flowers and water lilies.

Bow Garden Centre and Bow Aquatic Centre, was established by Mr Muggeridge 27 years ago and the business now has branches in Exeter and Wellington. The staff are renowned for their expertise about ponds, fish and all things aquatic.

The display gardens are part of the centre and are free for all to visit.