A north Suffolk care home will be restoring a Victorian walled garden for its residents to enjoy and benefit from.

The Depperhaugh, in Hoxne, near Diss, was built in the late 1860s by Admiral Sir Baldwin Wake Walker, and is a care home that specialises in dementia care.

It is hoped the garden can be cleared within the next few weeks to allow staff and residents to start planting seeds for a variety of fruit and vegetables which the residents can help grow, pick and eventually eat.

Alison Fallowfield, nurse manager, said: 'We're hoping to grow strawberries, gooseberries, peas, beans and carrots. It will be reminiscent of the war years for the residents. It will be traditional produce.

'We'll involve them in the planting of the seeds. And we hope to get seating areas so they can sit and enjoy the garden. It's very therapeutic for people to watch others gardening.'

Ms Fallowfield said she hopes the garden can have raised flower beds so those with mobility problems can help out.

The garden will be concreted for wheelchair access.

She said: 'It'll be nice to have plants growing which we can cut and take into the care home. So people who may not be able to come out can have a bit of the garden too.'

The care home also has a pond which needs to be cleared out. Ms Fallowfield said the home is looking to add a summer house and seating area for the residents to enjoy the wildlife.

'We have a lot of garden birds here,' she said. 'We want to have a place for them to sit and watch and enjoy the wildlife. Gardens and gardening have proved to relax those with dementia, anxiety and depression.'

The Depperhaugh care home will be hoping to hold a crafts fair and farmers market in the summer.

If you would like to volunteer your services to help with the garden or pond restoration, email depperhaugh.manager@kingsleyhealthcare.co.uk