Business was blooming at the 11th annual Seedy Sunday seed swap event at Hove Town Hall last weekend.

Despite snow across much of Sussex, over 2000 people turned out to swap seeds, meet like-minded gardening enthusiasts and find out more about local organisations for the green-fingered.

Steve Bustin, a Seedy Sunday organiser, was pleased to see such a wide range of people at the swap.

Mr. Bustin said: “There are experienced gardeners here but also a lot of first timers which is really nice.”

People came from all over Sussex to swap seed varieties like Old Man’s Beard and Nun’s Belly Button, which they’d held onto from their own gardens, for something new.

This wasn’t just an event for people with sprawling back gardens.

Organisers were keen to demonstrate that people don’t need all the space or experience in the world to grow their own and go organic.

Mr. Bustin said: “A lot of this stuff can be grown in a pot, or a patio, which there are a lot of in Brighton and Hove.”

There are even seeds especially for patio planting according to BHOGG (Brighton and Hove Organic Gardening Group) treasurer Miriam, who joined the organisation at a Seedy Sunday event.

A number of visitors signed a petition against further rises in allotment plot rents. Some gardeners fear allotment prices, which are already suffering a 34% rise from April 2012, will continue to be targeted by the council, despite presenting an important option for those with smaller gardens or patios.

New Roots, a Moulsecoomb-based community allotment initiative, and The Whitehawk Food Project, based on Whitehawk Hill, were two stalls with a common interest; inspiring people of all ages to grow together.

A spokesperson for New Roots, which has 33 regular volunteers helping to maintain their four allotment plots, said it was important for children to be able to come along and get involved.

She said: “We usually find them a bed where they can root around for a bit!”

The kids’ arts and crafts table was a popular part of Seedy Sunday, with children getting stuck in to stencil painting, modelling and moulding.

Mr. Bustin said children loved to be able to sow seeds, play in compost and see the fruits of their labours.

Mr. Bustin said: “They are the seed savers of the future!”

Seedy Sunday’s roots have stayed firm and the event, which was the UK’s first when it opened in Kemptown in 2002, remains at the forefront of the Britain’s seed swap trend.

Mr. Bustin said: “Brighton’s is the biggest and the best, it’s a great community event.”