This green-fingered Local Hero loves nothing more than seeing her communal garden in a “blaze of colour”.

Linda King, 64, of Essex Place, Brighton, has been tending to the three gardens at the front of her Montague Street building for the past 16 years.

From fabulous flowers to perfect plants, Linda has been bringing her local community together through her dedication to sprucing up the gardens.

She said: “My balcony overlooks the front of the building so I saw how all the bushes were overgrown and in a bit of a mess. I’d never even done gardening before but I thought I’d give it a go.

“Now, with the help of other residents, we’ve got a nice place where people can come and sit – especially in the summer when the gardens are a blaze of colour. I love it.”

Linda admits one area of the previously uncared for gardens was a “hot spot” for antisocial behaviour. But after years of tender loving care and the erection of a fence, it is now a hotbed of horticulture.

Linda said: “There used to be people drinking and so on but we don’t get any trouble there now.

“I love it because it’s just nice to have a lovely garden everyone can enjoy. But it also brings us residents together.

“Everyone comes out and helps and chats, we share tea and people come along and say how nice it looks.

“Gardening has really grown on me and I’ve got a lot out of it. It builds communities too.”

For her efforts, Linda has received awards and recognition from Brighton and Hove City in Bloom and was recently awarded estate agent Paul Bott & Co’s ‘unsung hero’ award.

Linda continued: “I was so surprised to be named unsung hero and now Local Hero in The Argus. I don’t do it to get awarded and praise but I suppose it’s nice someone notices. I’m really thrilled.”