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has anyone mamaged to grow vanilla in the UK? I love it and looking around it can apparantly be grown in a greenhouse, and its an orchid which are definately possible in the UK, but I've read things that vary from saying they're very forgiving and you can neglect the plants to saying they're virtually impossible to grow and take years to mature.

Plus where on earth do you get the seed? I presume a vanilla pod from the cupboard isn't going to work!

maybe worth asking the Eden project? i have seen it growing there. thats some greenhouse mind......

If you do find out, Den, please share. I, too, think vanilla is delicious.

I can't understand people who describe dull things as 'plain vanilla'... there is absolutely nothing plain about it - it is one of the most beautiful flavours in the world.

Unfortunately, I also believe that much of the world's vanilla crops are controlled by warlords and mafioso, and involve much oppression and injustice. This is because the stuff can command high prices; I suspect this means it can't be easy to grow in more temperate places.