New research reveals the UK population is losing millions worth of pounds every year on gardening as a direct result of flooding.

British people are wasting £2.9 million on their gardens, due to a low understanding of their flood risks, according to new data published today by Flood Re, the joint initiative between the UK government and the insurance industry.

The UK population spent £17.6 billion on their gardens last year – an average of £402 per adult – but these green spaces are being battered by heavy rain and surface water flooding.

In total, 5.4 million UK adults with gardens have experienced the negative impact of flooding on their green spaces.

With February of this year being the wettest on record over over 250 years and one in four UK homes at the risk of flooding, Flood Re is encouraging people to start “getting smart about their garden spending” this National Gardening Week.

The data showed only 5% of people living in high-risk areas could correctly identify their flood risk, while a further 68% of people in high-risk flood areas believed their flood risk to be low.

Flood Re says this low awareness of flood risk could see green-fingered Brits at risk of investing time and money into their green spaces, only to be washed away.

Andy Bord, chief executive officer at Flood Re says: “We’re hopeful this research and the Flood Resilient Garden will help people think about their flood risk and consider the plants and garden features that will both endure a flood and help reduce destruction and distress to their home when a flood hits.”