Some intelligent planting could save the average family £134 in gas bills if research from the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is borne out.
The research, which forms part of an HTA-sponsored Phd looking at the environmental benefits of gardening, suggests that by planting up against external walls homeowners can benefit from significant energy savings.

The trials, conducted using brick planters during the freezing weather last year showed that the planted wall was "buffered against temperature extremes". Air temperatures of up to six degrees Celsius higher were recorded behind the planted walls.