It was much of a mulchness at one church where volunteers helped plants and trees by digging in two tonnes of mulch as part of the finishing touches to the garden overhaul.

About a dozen people helped finish off the gardens surrounding St Margaret’s Church, Balfour Road, Ilford, by planting. New planting work began in November when new evergreen shrubs and bulbs were added.

Father Stephen Pugh said: “Generous comments on the appearance of the garden were received from passers-by and visitors to the church hall on Saturday morning and it is hoped that, come the summer, the improvements to the garden will be appreciated by all the residents of the area.”