Fussy gardeners shun the Queen

Tending the royal lawns may seem a dream job for a gardener - especially with accommodation in central London thrown in.

However, it appears the Queen is struggling to find horticultural staff. In October the post of "senior gardener" was advertised on the royal household website.

The £15,750 job failed to attract a successful applicant so has been re-advertised, with a higher salary of £17,000 - an increase of 7.9 per cent.