If yourbathroom suite is becoming a bit like an oven during the summer months, you might want to think about how putting a few plants onto the shelves could help cool you down.

Dr Roger Williams is head of science at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and he explained how photosynthesis where leaves take in nutrients from the sun causes them to secrete water.

"This evaporation reduces the air temperature," he said. So there might not be enough room on your shelf to put in a bush but it seems as though having some flora and fauna around could do more than just look pretty.

"Even if you've just got a window box or pots on the balcony, that can still help," the expert added.

Furthermore, Dr Williams noted that adding plants to outside walls can trap warmth, remarking: "The right sorts of climbers at the right elevation on a building can also help insulate it."

If there is not enough space to do this, one of the heated towel rails from Better Bathrooms could be a good alternative. The company stocks a 760 mm x 500 mm model that is finished in white.