Fruit and veg growing gains popularity

15:51 9th April 2010

Britain is becoming a nation of fruit and vegetable growers, new figures have shown.

While flowers made up 70 per cent of seed sales at home and garden chain B&Q a decade ago, food seeds now account for 79 per cent.

According to the Times, the firm expects around a third of Brits to try their hand at fruit and vegetable cultivation this year, with many expected to use their gardens and greenhouses to put food on the table.

Lucy Alexander - a journalist with the newspaper - paid a visit to the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Garden Wisley and spoke to fruit expert Jim Arbury about the rise in popularity.

He explained that growers have a wide range of choice in comparison to what they can buy in the supermarkets, with the RHS garden housing 700 varieties compared to the few on offer in the shops.

"It's also a lot fresher, and if you live in the city it keeps you in touch with the seasons," he added.

In other news, US first lady Michelle Obama recently extended the kitchen garden at the White House after a successful first year.