British flowers compare well to imports

Greenhouse enthusiasts may be interested to hear the opinion of one expert who believes British flowers more than hold their own when compared with foreign imports.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme, Caroline Marshall-Foster from the Flower & Plant Association described the quality of plants grown in the UK as "absolutely fabulous".

She added, however, that not enough is grown in Britain to fulfill customer demand, making imports a necessity.

"We could probably grow more of certain crops, but we could never grow everything that is wanted and desired by the consumer market, partly because our climate just isn’t suitable for it," Ms Marshall-Foster explained.

The expert went on to cite roses as an example, pointing out that they need heat and light which would be costly to maintain.

People interested in seeing some of the country’s flowers could visit Ragley Hall in Warwickshire, according to the Daily Telegraph.