Banana plants in a garden in Rayleigh, Essex, produced fruit after a 15‑year wait, according to reports. Peter Stav and his wife Emma tend about 200 banana plants and said they were surprised when the plants finally bore fruit.

Warmer summers and milder winters have made heat‑loving plants more common in British gardens, the Royal Horticultural Society said.

Traditional crops such as gooseberries and rhubarb are declining in some areas.

The Stavs built walls around their plants to trap heat and create a micro‑climate.

Because the plants are nearly 3 m tall, wrapping them for winter is difficult, Peter said.

A recent heatwave enabled the plants to flower and produce fruit for the first time.

Botanist James Wong of BBC’s A Countryside Summer series noted that Musa basjoo bananas are hardy but produce little edible fruit.

He described the fruit as having little taste.

Wong said growing bananas in the UK is possible in warm, sheltered spots but remains unusual for most gardeners.

Continued warming may allow more tropical species to grow in the UK, but it is unclear how often bananas will appear in ordinary gardens.