The delayed summer season has turned 2013 into the year of the instant garden, with consumers desperate for quick fixes and instant colour.
So says Dobbies, which has found that one of the most popular customer queries this year has been how to get a garden into shape fast. Gardeners are searching for ready-grown plants and flowers, and sales of hanging baskets - which give gardens a colour makeover in minutes - have rocketed at the garden centre chain.

Dobbies' sales figures show that 100,000 hanging baskets have been bought this year so far - a 64% increase on last year when the weather was dry and brighter.

In addition, following the relaunch of Dobbies' planted container service last spring, almost 6,000 containers have been made up by staff in-store, giving customers the 'just planted' look without having to lift a finger.