For the first time, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which is staging its 150th Show, is holding a Small Garden Competition and one of the eight entrants in the new contest is taking his inspiration from The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Steve Garfit, a garden designer from Rothwell, Leeds, is creating a children's organic fruit and vegetable plot based around the Beatrix Potter tale.

"The idea is to encourage children into the garden and to grow fruit and vegetables. The garden tells the main elements of the story – there's the gate Peter Rabbit gets stuck under, the lettuces and carrots he eats, the gooseberry net where Peter loses his jacket and the watering can where he hides from Mr McGregor."

Mr Garfit, a former student of Askham Bryan College, York, who runs his own garden design business, Dig, is also including pages of the storybook in his garden.

"I want it to look as though the pages have just been blown into the garden by the wind."

Colourful displays of blooms will fill the Flower Hall and the Flower Show Manager, Joe Maiden, is confident the event will be a great success.

"The introduction of the Small Garden Competition is sure to prove a major draw for visitors, who will hopefully be inspired by what they see," he said.

The Great Yorkshire Show, being held from Tuesday to Thursday of next week is the North of England's largest countryside event.