An online garden centre has become the first in the UK to sell weeds, thanks to a new craze for wildflowers and increased demand from many gardeners.
While many express a hatred for unwanted weeds, Gardeningexpress.co.uk says sales of certain types of weeds have exceeded expectations since they were introduced last month. Selling alongside the online garden centre's usual array of fruit trees, bamboo plants and passion flowers, are a range of wildflowers including dandelions at £3.99 each, buttercups at £5.99 and even stinging nettles for £7.99.

Wildflowers are great for attracting insects to gardens, with nettles in particular attracting caterpillars, and, with falling numbers of bees and other insects, gardeners appear to be actively encouraging them. The company says that stinging nettles have proven to be so popular recently that initial supplies have sold out and they are now on pre-order only due to exceptionally high demand.

A statesment on the Gardeningexpress.co.uk website reads: "After many demands from customers, we've now added this selection of wild flowers to our range, some call them weeds, but we don't want to hurt their feelings - after all a weed is only a plant in the wrong place, much like finding a tulip in a salad."

It also claims that plants of this type were "all the rage" at this year's Chelsea Flower show.

The website's Chris Bonnet said: "While plants such as buttercups and dandelions may seem like pests when they crop up in the middle of a lawn, if they are cultivated in a flower bed they can look beautiful and really enhance a garden.

"Yet, while many gardeners do have an appreciation of the beauty of wildflowers it seems most of us aren't able to proactively cultivate them.

"So, we agreed to introduce a line this summer and the demand has been astounding. We are already sold out of dandelions and we are having to clear extra space in our nursery so we can grow more."