The garden, designed with disabled people in mind, has opened this week at Thornhill Lees Senior Citizens Social Centre, Lees Hall Road.

It includes a "sensory garden" with raised beds for people in wheelchairs to be able to see easily as well as plants of different fragrances and textures, such as heather and lavendar, for blind visitors.

There is also a "memory garden" for people to place plaques to loved ones who have passed away.

Work transforming a piece of wasteland into the oasis of calm began in June last year, with a £500 grant from Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing Excel.

The garden was designed by the social centre's chairman, Terry Goodall, and much of the work was carried out by offenders on probation.

A team from the Probation Service visited every weekend to plant flowers, build beds and put up a wooden gazebo.

Parts of the social centre, in the former Primitive Methodist Chapel, were also redecorated and made more accessible to wheelchairs.

Probation Service officer Wendy Thorpe said: "We were coming every weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from about October till March time. There were roughly about six offenders each time. They made raised beds, put fences up, I know the gazebo caused us some trouble but we got there!

"We let offenders come up with their own ideas and they got really into it. One came up with the idea of having a wishing well. We then cleared the back area for car parking and we also did a lot of decorating.

"It's what the probation servce is all about – giving something back to the community."

Mr Goodall said the garden was a much-needed facility.

He said: "There was nothing like this in Thornhill Lees at all.

"It was hard work and I never had a weekend off for nine months but it has been worthwhile because in summer everyone can sit out here.

"The probation service has been absolutely brilliant."

Mayor of Kirklees, Coun Jean Calvert, officially opened the garden at a special ceremony on Wednesday.

After cutting the ribbon, she said: "What an absolutely fantastic job you have made of this. To say that you started off with £500, all I can say is well done and I hope you enjoy the facility and carry on with the good work!"