One in three Scots enjoying the good life
ALMOST a third of Scots are using their gardens to help stock the kitchen cupboard – and save themselves some money too. Research shows that 30 per cent of people in Scotland are growing fruit and vegetables, while 3 per cent even keep livestock such as chickens.With figures showing the average annual family food bill has gone up £260 in the last year, many people ADVERTISEMENTare hoping the “grow your own” approach will save them money.But experts warn that the time and investment which often went into growing fruit and veg, particularly on allotments, sometimes means it is cheaper to buy some products from the supermarket.The new research involving 2,000 adults across the UK, carried out by HSBC, found many people were trying to recreate The Good Life, famously pioneered by Tom and Barbara Good in the 1970s television sitcom, by using their gardens to produce food.In Scotland, 27 per cent of people have fruit trees or bushes, while 26 per cent own a vegetable patch and 21 per cent a herb garden.Bruno Genovese, head of savings at HSBC, said: “Many families are seeing their disposable income being squeezed and are seeking alternative means of saving money.”There is a modern focus on organic food, which coupled with the climate of austerity means growing your own has become increasingly popular.” Another reason why gardens may be becoming more popular with fruit and vegetable growers is the long waiting lists for allotments. Jenny Mollison, from the Scottish Allotments and Gardening Society, said in Edinburgh alone around 2,500 people are on the waiting list but she warned that in some cases people may find it cheaper and easier to shop more smartly.”I don’t like to say this, but if you really want to save money you would be better to be in the supermarket picking up the bargains and eating whatever is cheap and seasonal,” Ms Mollison said. “It is reckoned that to keep a full-size allotment plot going takes you 12 hours a week in the summer. So you need to be driven not only by a desire to save money, but it has to be something you actually enjoy.”
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