A Dorset-based garden centre company is calling on people to harvest rain water and help reduce flooding.

Dorset has seen half of its annual rainfall fall in the first three months of the year, more than double the amount of rain that was expected at that time of year. 

The county also had to deal with severe flooding with Storms Ciaran, Babet and Nelson causing disruption to farmland, homes and businesses. 

Therefore following the high levels of rainfall seen this winter, The Gardens Group, which has two garden centres in Dorset, Castle Gardens in Sherborne and Poundbury Gardens in Poundbury, is now calling for gardeners across the region and beyond to harvest rainwater at home.

READ: Storm Nelson: Dorset blown away by extreme wind and rain

With many methods of collecting rainwater at home, Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group, and his team, are hopeful that anyone with a garden or outdoor space can be part of the solution to reduce flooding, protect wildlife habitats and minimise their own mains water consumption.

Mike said: “Water harvesting is a great example of how gardening can be a force for good when it comes to looking after our planet.

"You don’t need a huge, sophisticated water collection system that collect thousands of litres or even lots of space.

In Pictures: Storm Babet brings unprecedented flooding and huge waves

"If 100 more homes had a water butt enabling them to collect 210 litres of water each that’s 21,000 less litres less hitting our roads, fields and rivers.

"It is becoming more apparent how important it is for us all to take responsibility for our own patch of this planet and this is one small step that can be achieved no matter your gardening experience.

"It’s much better-quality water for our plants, making for healthier growth and as there aren’t any chemicals added, its better for the soil too." 

In pictures: Storm Ciarán brings floods and destruction to Dorset

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay also visited Dorset in April and discussed the issue of flooding with farmers and spoke about ways in which they can help mitigate the problem, including setting up funding for 'on farm reservoirs'.

Part of the reason for this is to collect water at times when there is too much and save it for the summer months when there are droughts, and this is very much what the garden group is suggesting people do at home. 

Mike added: "So, if we can get into the habit of collecting rainwater when it’s abundant, our gardens and wildlife will thank us when water becomes scarcer in the warmer and drier months.”

When it comes to implementing water collection at home, there are many options, including purpose-made water butts, which come in a variety of sizes from 100-litres to 13,000-litres and can be connected to gutters and hosepipes.

For a more homemade approach, durable items from the home, such as milk cartons or plastic bottles, can be repurposed and attached to windows, fences and balconies.