Before the mid-eighties the sale of plants and garden equipment was limited to plant nursery's selling little more than a small selection of plants and a limited number of tools etc. These were usually poorly run with limited opening times.

From the mid-eighties onwards the UK experienced a rapid growth in the popularity of gardening at home. New so called garden centre sprung up in every part of the UK. The selection of plants now available staggers belief! These centre carry a tremendous range of goods and products for the avid gardener. Many centres have experienced well trained staff to advise both the novice and experienced gardener to further their ambitions for their own gardens. These garden centres opening times now begger belief! Plenty of time of even the most stressed worker to find time to browse the vast rows of plants and equipment.

The nineties saw an explosion in gardening programmes on our TV screens. These programmes ranged from simple advice regards plants to make over shows that lit the public's imagination! Now there no boundaries as to what some one can achieve their back or indeed front garden! A walk along any UK suburban street is to be propelled through limitless vistas of what can be achieved with a garden, even in our usually temperate climate.

Growing one's own vegetables was once a financial necessity, the war years made it a matter of life and death. The post wars years saw a steady decline in the popularity of vegetable growing at home at in the quaint English custom of allotments. The food scares of the nineties along with the publics awareness of better diet has given rise to an explosion of home food production! Allotments that were once seen as a liability and often as potential development are now in high demand - many councils now have long waiting lists of suburbanities wanting to partake in the "good life!"

The continued rise in workplace stress brought on with modern work practices has only hastened the rise in popularity in the relaxing pastime of all forms of gardening.