COVID developments might be grim but one Canberra resident is hitting back turning a patch of her suburb into a riot of colour.

Thanks to the work of Louise Frodyma, 70, once “neglected” garden beds around the Torrens Community Hall are blooming with tulips and pansies, bringing smiles to those who pass by.

“The hall in Torrens is so ugly and the garden beds around it weren’t being used but now it’s such a beautiful and peaceful place, it really does cheer the soul,” Ms Frodyma says.

Ms Frodyma, a dance instructor with the Silver Soles Cloggers, enlisted the help of her class mates to plant bulbs and perennials in the gardens back in June.

“As part of a Floriade project we were allocated 1500 bulbs and 1400 perennials to plant,” Ms Frodyma says.

“About 14 of us from the dance club and some members of the local yoga club helped plant the bulbs in the gardens at the front and sides of the hall.

“The idea was that the plants would flower during the time that Floriade was meant to be on.”

Little did Ms Frodyma know that the community garden would bring delight to many through a restricting lockdown.

“We’ve all been hanging in there through covid and it’s nice to see people pass by and smile when they see the garden, and be able to enjoy  it in a difficult time,” she says.

“We’ve had a mural painted down the side of the hall with butterflies and bugs on it, it’s fabulous, and has dressed up the whole area.”

Ms Frodyma, a retired dance shop owner, has even stitched together a life-sized Raggedy Ann doll named “Daisy” for the garden.

“She sits on the park bench near the hall and the idea is that you can come and have a chat to Daisy, you can tell her anything,” Ms Frodyma says.

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.