Pick-your-own vegetables to replace flowers in high street

Climate change and food shortage issues prompt Lancashire town to consider growing edible crops in public

A Lancashire town is experimenting with using traditional floral displays, including hanging baskets and herbaceous borders, to grow slightly less colourful but more practical greens.

The idea taking shape in Clitheroe is to replace flowers with edible vegetables and offer a modest “pick-your-own” service of plantings to anyone passing by.

The most striking feature will be three-tiered flower/vegetable structures in the centre of the town, if a motion put forward by councillors gets the go-ahead later this month.

Exponents say the idea is symbolic of the local determination to highlight the risk of food shortages and climate change.

Guardian