GREEN-FINGERED volunteers will be taking to the streets of Portland today to help transform Underhill into a sea of Olympic-themed colour.

The Revive Portland delivery group volunteers will be planting out almost 7,000 potted plants and volunteers are needed to maintain, water and deadhead the flowers.

Families are being encouraged to ‘adopt a box’ to look after their plants over the summer.

Planting days will be co-ordinated by plant colour and are being overseen by Revive members Carrie Dalby and Yvonne Beven with the first stage taking place today from 3.30pm to 4.30pm in Fortuneswell.

Last month, local ‘Guerilla Gardener’ volunteers joined forces with members of the Community Payback team to pot out the thousands of plug plants, which were then looked after by members of the community with greenhouse space, ready to plant out this week.

The ‘look and feel’ project to brighten up Underhill during the Games has been funded by a £15,000 grant from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the plants come in the six official Olympic colours – pink, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple.

Varieties including calibrachoa, dichondra, geranium, marigold and ageratum, have been chosen specifically for the growing conditions on Portland by Revive’s gardening expert Carrie Dalby with the help of the borough council parks department.

In September, the planters will be donated to the Portland community.

Revive’s Yvonne Beven said: “I think the plants will make a huge difference to Underhill.

“As you come on to the Island people will be able to see the plants in Victoria Gardens.

“There will be colour going all the way up through Fortuneswell.

“There will be hanging baskets in Chiswell along with big planters in Castletown.

“It’s going to make an impact.”

Revive member Carrie Dalby added: “This is a community project and many volunteers joined the Community Payback Team to transplant the plug plants in April.

“They’ve been grown on in seven greenhouses loaned by residents and are ready to be planted out.

“Revive is very grateful for the help and enthusiasm of the community.”

Mike Goodman, chairman of the borough council’s management committee, said: “As part of the dressing for the borough, we hope these fantastic plant displays will help Portland really stand out.

“We have worked closely with local people to make sure they have the Look and Feel that truly represents their community and which will continue to be enjoyed after the Games have finished.”

Anyone who wants to help should call Gary Hockett on 07530 403343.

See Portland Revive’s Facebook page or visit dorsetforyou.com/sailing2012/how-to-get-involved