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Browns show off the fruits of their labour in Downing Street garden
Tim Stewart23 Jul 2009
Gordon and Sarah Brown have shown off their own vegetable patch in the back garden at Downing Street.
The PM, who is said to be a "big fan" of grow-your-own, invited politicians from the all-party parliamentary gardening group to be the first to inspect his fruit and veg.
Mrs Brown was on hand to proudly point out the produce, which has started appearing on the menu at the No10 staff canteen.
She braved persistent drizzle as she steered about 20 MPs and peers, including former Cabinet Minister Lord Clark of Windermere, towards her beds of beetroot.
She told her guests how the plot was suggested to her by First Lady Michelle Obama during her visit to No10 in April. Mrs Obama runs a lavish organic vegetable garden at the White House.
The Standard has launched a campaign to get Londoners to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
The fruit and veg were planted last month in raised beds and giant tubs using seedlings taken from a demonstration allotment in St James's Park. Their sons, John, five, and Fraser, three, have been busy planting and the whole family have been sampling the produce.
Downing Street workers can also try cos lettuce from the garden in a Caesar salad costing £1.98 in their canteen.
The Browns' self-sufficiency has seen some Downing Street officials likening them to the comedy couple from Seventies BBC sitcom The Good Life. The hit series saw Tom and Barbara Good - played by Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal - transform their suburban back garden into a mini-farm.
The PM is following the Queen who has a new allotment in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
Although the Browns take "a very keen interest" in the garden, the plot is tended by Royal Parks Agency staff who look after the lawn, shrubs and flowers at No10.
Royal Parks manager Mark Wasilewski, who accompanied Mrs Brown and her guests on their tour of the garden, said: "The vegetable garden came about after Michelle Obama said to Mrs Brown, 'You know about the White House vegetable garden and you can you do one here'.
"We did one very quickly. We wanted to see how we went with summer vegetables and expand it next year. The vegetables are being sold in the staff canteen here and the Browns do eat them as well.
"We're growing tomatoes, parsnips, chard and courgettes.
"Mrs Brown's children have been planting tomatoes and peppers. But it's just a start.
"Different prime ministers have used the garden in different ways. It's a formal and family garden, so we mix and plan accordingly."
Mr Wasilewski said that the next addition would be more wildlife-friendly areas to attract insects such as bees and ladybirds. Lavender, catmint and sedum will be planted in the borders.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The garden at No10 shows that small gardens can produce a lot of vegetables."
Reader views (9)
Sarah Brown is in pursuit of a 'Michelle Obama' image in bringing a copycat of Michelle Obama's White House vegetable garden to No. 10 and wearing cardi's on the campaign trail. Does she think we're all that stupid and unable to see through her lame attempts to fool the electorate? She's missed by a mile!
- Anne Gibson, Guildford UK, 28/04/2010 12:05
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Brown is showing off his vegetable patch - I thought it was another cabinet shuffle
- Martin, London, 23/07/2009 23:35
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I hope they consulted with the Cameron Family as to what THEY like, as the Browns aren't going to be there for another season.
- George, London, 23/07/2009 15:30
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The only fruits of Labours 12 years in power.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 23/07/2009 14:03
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Hold on, when you were talking about Gordon Browns vegetable patch I thought you meant the Cabinet?
- Bob, Cheam, 23/07/2009 11:25
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They have obviously not got much else to do and have plenty of spare time on their hands. This is not news!! This is PR!!!
- Wq Ex Pat, outside UK, 23/07/2009 11:19
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"The garden at No10 shows that small gardens can produce a lot of vegetables".
On expenses, of course.
Hypocrites.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 23/07/2009 11:09
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"What a load of tosh", it would go down better if the Browns were seen out shopping, pushing a trolley at Asda, are we supposed to forget all the problems and harm, the Browns labour government has caused our country?, (and is still ongoing), as they show the Lords of the land their veggie patch, meanwhile not so far away, the residents of the Grosvenor and Regency Estates have been banned from putting up hanging baskets, you just could not make this up.
- David Crocket, Bradford , UK., 23/07/2009 10:44
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Browns show off the fruits of their labour in Downing Street garden. Nooo showing off the fruits of the labour of the Royal Parks Agency staff. And braving the persistent drizzle is not a (vegetable) patch on what we have to brave under this government.
- Patricia, LONDON, 23/07/2009 10:43
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