Blue Peter: Princess Anne Opens Blue Peter Garden in Salford

Princess Anne has officially opened the new Blue Peter garden at the BBC's new home at MediaCityUK in Salford.

Her Royal Highness unveiled a plaque and planted a tree in the new garden. She wants children to get involved in the Jubilee Woods Project by planting trees at home and at school, to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The original garden was designed in 1974 behind the staff canteen in BBC Television Centre, London.

Presenters like Lesley Judd have enjoyed doing a spot of gardening in it over the years!

But unfortunately, the garden was vandalised in 1983. Viewers were shocked after plants were trampled, and flagstones and pieces of stonework smashed. Oil was also poured into the pond, killing the fish.

As well as bustling with plant life, the garden has also been used as a filming location for Blue Peter. Here's a picture of former presenter Matt Baker in the garden in the 1990s.

We even decked the garden with Christmas decorations in 2010!

But when Blue Peter relocated from London to Salford in 2011, the sunken garden was re-layed brick by brick in Salford by the Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins.

And we were proud to welcome Princess Anne to officially open the new garden on 23 February 2012.