Things were looking up for Britain's space-strapped gardeners following the launch of the first vertical 'allotments'.
Until now, Britons without gardens have been forced to rely on traditional allotments to grow their own fruit and veg.
But as allotment waiting lists hit an all-time high - in some cases almost 40 years - there has been a growing need to find a suitable, and affordable, alternative.
Now an enterprising group has found their own solution after designing a series of space-saving 'urban planters'.
Among the most popular is the Vertical Vegetable Growbag, a polythene 'tube' that can be used to grow beans, strawberries, herbs, tomatoes, and a variety of other crops.
Unlike traditional growbags or flowerpots, which both require ground space, Urban Planters can be hung from a free-standing frame, or strung to a wire, wall or tree.
Their conical shape prevents evaporation and means the crops they contain need little water - ideal for warm, arid climates.
What's more, the bags - which are reusable for two or three seasons - cost less than £2.
The bags - on sale from today - are the brainchild of the Rochdale Rotary Club (RRC), whose 40 members looked at ways to benefit the local and international communities.
Their not-for-profit scheme now looks set to take the UK by storm.
Spokesman David Acton said: ''The Urban Planters were designed with one thing in mind - saving space and water.
"They are, essentially, vertical allotments that require nothing more than a frame or wall to hang them from.
"It's our hope that they will alleviate the problem of allotment shortages, while helping city residents - or those without gardens - to grow their own fruit and vegetables."
The RCC developed the idea from scratch ''over a pint of ale'' following a members' meeting in 2007.
In conjunction with Rochdale Council Horticulturalists and a Rochdale-based textile company, a prototype was created later that year.
But despite glowing praise from the horticultural industry, the collective tested the product over a course of a year in a trial dubbed the 'Babylon Project'.
The experiment proved a success and now, two years after conception, the group's dream of 'urban farming' looks set to roll out across the UK.
More than 1,500 Growbags have been handed out, free-of-charge, to schools, the elderly and disabled, and to other worthy causes both in the UK and overseas.
"In many parts of the world there is a lack of water, or fertile land is at a premium," David said.
"Our products aim to tackle these problems without exploiting people who are in need - which is why we supply the products free for many people."
The RCC recently scooped the National Rotary Environment Award for their creations.
The Vertical Vegetable Growbag is now on sale at www.urbanfarmplanters.co.uk priced £1.85. All profits are poured back into the project.
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