The Queen goes green

The Queen is the proud owner of an allotment. The royal sustainable vegetable patch has been dug inside the 40-acre grounds of Buckingham Palace. The capital's biggest private garden is the setting for the Queen's annual garden parties and it is also home to a lake, a helicopter landing area and a tennis court where King George VI used to play against Fred Perry. The Queen can look forward to savouring the fruits of her gardeners' labours. Soon to be served at the royal table will be a range of produce including runner beans, leeks, beetroot and an endangered variety of climbing French beans called Blue Queen.

It is the brainchild of the Queen's deputy head gardener, Claire Midgeley. She showed her boss around the palace's latest addition the other day.  Ms Midgeley hopes those attending garden parties will see her growing creation. She said: "We are trying to promote growing your own food and vegetables, getting families and children involved, getting their hands dirty. "It's a growing movement throughout the country and we're just hoping to encourage that."

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