Two gardens in East Dorset tended by adults with learning disabilities have received national awards from a care provider.

The garden at the Two Wells service in Cranborne won top prize as best sensory garden and the Town Farm Workshops garden in Sixpenny Handley won most productive garden in the hotly contested Regard in Bloom competition. The awards were organised by Regard, which supports people with learning disabilities in specialist residential services, supported living services, outreach support and day resource centres throughout the country.

From the 120 entries from services across the UK, awards were given for the best garden, best sensory garden, best productive garden and the best small garden.

Karen Freeman, service manager at Cranborne, said: “We were thrilled that two gardens in the area won awards out of all our services throughout the country. Two Wells has accommodation for four people and our residents enjoy gardening very much.”

Ms Freeman said tending to the gardens can very rewarding and therapeutic for people with learning difficulties.

She added: “The Town Farm Workshops are lucky enough to have a garden just up the road at the Rushmore Estate, where there is a Victorian Walled garden and an orchard.

She finished by saying: “It is a very productive garden and it provides a working environment for many people.”