Horticulturalist Sue Surkes has designed a unique Children’s Discovery Garden which will open in the 30-acre Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in Israel.

A former journalist from Manchester, Ms Surkes, 48, became involved with the Jerusalem Botanical Garden after making aliyah in 1991 and studying horticulture.

She tells People: “It will be the only one of its type in Israel, if not the Middle East.” The project has been given planning consent and is now in the fundraising stage. The aim, says Ms Surkes, is for children of all ages to swing through tree roots and up into branches, climb on rocks, view butterflies and splash in a water sculpture. “It’s a really fabulous project. They had been thinking of building a children’s play area but I wanted to do something more than that. I get lots of ideas from my two sons, seven and nine. They have been my consultants. Children have a very interesting relationship with nature.”