Brits still growing their own food

Predictions that Brits would cease growing their own fruit and vegetables during 2010 seem to be some way off the mark, it has been claimed.

Some experts had suggested that UK citizens might give up the hobby this year, dismissing it as a phase.

However, Amateur Gardening magazine has suggested that the 'grow your own' bandwagon continues to roll on.

Editor Kris Collins noted that the cause had been aided by the numerous gardening shows and books available and said that the activity was still very much in the ascendancy.

"They think that the popularity will wane over the next year or so and that it will go back to more formal gardening and people will go back to buying their vegetables from the shops but I don't believe that," he explained.

In response to MORE TH>N figures showing that 18 to 24-year-olds were partially behind the resurgence in the popularity of garden gnomes, Mr Collins claimed that a new trend for sustainability and wildlife is developing.

He added that gardeners with ponds are tending to focus more on attracting animals to their garden rather than having the water feature as an ornamental piece.