Householders wringing their hands about how they will keep their gardens green during the drought this year have been advised not to try to collect any waste water from the shower.

Even though the land is dry in parts of the UK and plants appear to be withering, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has claimed trying to quench a root's thirst may have the opposite effect if bathroom water is used, while issues concerning hygiene also stand.

A spokesman for the RHS said that people should be using the water they wash their vegetables in to then refresh plants in the evening, while waiting for lawns to go brown before revitalising them can be a good way to ration liquids.

This follows advice from environment secretary Caroline Spelman, who said last week that showering was a good alternative to taking baths during the drought and she noted that gardeners should only water their plants at night and resist soaping down their cars.