gardening enthusiasts are going for gold in a national competition.
Darlington Borough Council's entry in the Royal Horticultural Society's national flower bed competition will be focused on the restoration of the bandstand at the town's South Park.
The park is undergoing a £3.9m facelift after securing cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Work on the bandstand has inspired this year's entry into the competition, at Tatton Park, in Cheshire, from July 20 to 24.
The design is being created by the council, in partnership with Nubeck Nursery, based at the Woodburn Nursery site, in Salutation Road, providing training for disadvantaged adults.
The bandstand will be recreated in the flower bed, using carpet bedding for the walls and roof, and traditional bedding for the floor.
Around it will be paths using cinerari, a grassed area created with begonias and impatiens and a formal area with plants from the Victorian period.
Afterwards, the display will be recreated at South Park as a permanent feature.
Show manager Kris Hulewicz said: "We are delighted to see Darlington returning to the show."
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