Growers asked to report garden and greenhouse damages

Garden and greenhouse enthusiasts may have now got over the harsh winter of 2008/09, but the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is hoping they will cast their minds back for a new study.

It is conducting the first research into how the cold weather affected plant life in the UK by carrying out a nationwide online survey.

The body noted the warmer summers have led some to using their gardens and greenhouses to grow more exotic varieties, such as palms and banana trees.

It is appealing to those in such a position to get in touch to explain how the species fared in the cold.

Horticulturalists are being asked to explain exactly what they were growing, where it was placed – such as in a greenhouse, against a wall or in the open – and how much damage was sustained.

The request comes after the RHS revealed it would build a new library and learning centre using environmentally-friendly construction techniques.