More than 85% of the UK population lives in towns and cities; due to population density, finding a place to garden is a serious issue and natural spaces are never taken for granted. Whilst some hard choices have to be made about what and how much to grow, there is always an option to allow you to garden, whether it be window boxes, pots and tubs on a balcony, rooftop gardens or simply pots of herbs on the windowsill. Soil quality may be poor - when you start to dig the ground, the debris and discarded material of past occupancy may reveal itself, with things like nails, broken glass, plastic toys, tile and metal fragments, but improvements can always be made. Regular watering and fertilising is also likely to be needed, but you will be amply rewarded for your efforts.

Urban gardens are not just valuable for their looks - they offer a wide range of other benefits, including providing important habitats for wildlife and maintaining important ecosystems; helping to control urban temperatures; preventing flooding by intercepting intense rain, slowing surface run-off and reducing the pressure on urban drains; improving our psychological and physical well-being; and reducing heating costs and energy consumption in winter by providing shelter and insulation.