Construction begins at gardening research plant

Pests such as snails and slugs could be a thing of the past as the new facility will provide the RHS with a better place to develop advice on control measures as well as increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of science in gardening.

The facility is set to be equipped with heat exchange technology which includes a large tank underneath the building that captures waste heat throughout the day, which can be recycled to heat the facility at night.

“This will be the first facility of its kind dedicated to advancing the science of gardening,” RHS’s head of science Roger Williams said.

Jonathan Denby of the Lake District claimed a bronze medal at the recent Gardening World Cup in Japan despite having to contend with a rogue snail that affected many of the items he shipped to the competition