30% of Brits claim to be excellent at gardening

Few things go together better than the Great British weather and gardening. Regular precipitation and relatively mild temperatures create an often ideal environment for plants and crops to grow. As a pastime, gardening has kept Brits physically active and happy for centuries. Recent global events have emphasised the importance of utilising available outdoor space and spending time in nature, creating a surge in demand for gardening equipment and materials. But how many Brits actually claim to be proficient when it comes to gardening? Premier Polytunnels did some digging to find out more.

Gardening experts or novices?

A survey of 1000 UK adults revealed some intriguing statistics surrounding the self-perceived ability of British gardeners. Nearly a third (30%) classed themselves as ‘excellent’ gardeners, suggesting that we are in the presence of more than one Monty Don here in the UK. The majority (63%) said that their abilities were dependent on the type of plant they were trying to grow. There’s a good chance that at least a few respondents were referring to caring for cacti, one of the easiest plants to maintain. Despite valiant efforts, nearly 1 in 10 (7%) British gardeners fail to adequately care for their garden plants, presumably leaving rather uninspiring garden spaces.

What are Brits growing?

The survey also revealed the types of plants Brits are commonly attempting to grow in their gardens. Unsurprisingly, the humble tomato plant was the most popular plant grown in the UK, with almost half of gardeners (49%) choosing to grow them. Flowering plants were also favoured, with roses (42%), daffodils (39%), fuchsias (31%) and sunflowers (30%) featuring in the top 10 plants grown by British gardeners. A couple of herbs also made the top 10, with mint being the most commonly grown (36%), followed by rosemary (25%).

How can you start gardening?

Although challenging, gardening is a very rewarding hobby. It may seem like too big a hurdle to start on your own gardening journey, but beginning is a lot easier than you may assume. No matter how much outdoor space you may or may not have, planting a seed or potting a plant doesn’t require a lot of experience or investment. To get started, pick yourself up a basic gardening book and do some research – you may soon become a gardener extraordinaire!