David BaleGrowing your own vegetables is becoming more than just a hobby as people strive to reduce their carbon footprints - and tips and advice for budding Alan Titchmarshes were available at a garden centre last weekend.David Bale

Growing your own vegetables is becoming more than just a hobby as people strive to reduce their carbon footprints - and tips and advice for budding Alan Titchmarshes were available at a garden centre last weekend.

Families who visited Sprowston Garden Centre in Blue Boar Lane, on the outskirts of Norwich, were told how to grow their own vegetables in allotments, vegetable patches or in containers.

Visitors to the free event were also offered tips and assistance and staff created an area at the centre to show people what can be achieved.

Kate Blair, manager, said giving advice and helping customers make a success of their gardens or allotments was part of their job.

She said: 'It was just a continuation of what they we do. We are here to give people advice and to help them make a success of their gardens or allotments.

'The weekend went really well and it's hard to quantify exactly how many people came. The weather helped, but people are really interested in growing their own, which anyone can do whatever the size of their gardens.

'People want to reduce their carbon footprint and it's also about knowing what you have put on your vegetables.

'But if you don't have a garden or an allotment you can still grow vegetables in containers on your patio or balcony.

'If you are a newcomer to vegetable growing, you can start this year with a few plants, or you can even grow some varieties of tomatoes in hanging baskets.'

The garden centre held a similar event last year and plans to make it an annual occurrence.

For James Debbage's Your Garden column see the Living section in the Evening News every Saturday.

Are you holding a free event in the Norwich area? Ring reporter David Bale on 01603 7724267 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.