A National Trust survey has revealed that one in three UK residents believes spending time in the garden can boost their love life.
Britain remains a nation of garden lovers, with many people believing that spending time among flowers, lawns and trees is important for their quality of life, and is even a way of boosting their love life.
On summer weekends 11 million people will be out digging in beds, tending their plants and mowing the lawn, a report by the National Trust said.
A survey for the Trust revealed more than 70% of people think spending time in a garden is important for quality of life, and many would rather spend time in their gardens than in front of the TV or going shopping.
More than half of the people polled in the Ipsos MORI survey thought Britain was a nation of garden lovers, and four fifths believe children should be taught about gardening and growing plants at school.
Gardening as a pastime is good for the health, the Space to Grow report from the Trust said, with weeding for 30 minutes burning the same amount of calories as a half hour walk, while it can also deliver benefits for those with mental illness.
Celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh said: "The message is clear, if you want to feel better get out into a garden.
"Never has access to a garden been more important for our spiritual and physical wellbeing than it is in today's rapidly changing landscape."
The National Trust's director general Fiona Reynolds said: "In today's fast-paced world, finding space and time to unwind and relax is becoming ever more crucial.
"Nowhere does this better than the quiet corner of a garden or a park that gives us the chance to breathe in our natural surroundings and refresh our weary spirit."
