British gardening experts are encouraging people to urinate on their plants.

Gardeners at a National Trust property in Cambridgeshire insist that relieving yourself on your shrubs will help them grow greener.

Philip Whaites, the head gardener of Wimpole Hall said a three-metre long "pee bale" had been installed in the gardens and male colleagues were peeing on the straw to activate the composting process.

He said the "pee bale" was only in use out of visitor hours, because they didn't want to scare the public.

Philip also said male urine was preferable because "the male stuff is apparently less acidic."

The estate claimed it will have saved up to 30 per cent of its daily water use by not having to flush the loo so many times.