GREEN-FINGERED Dave Thompson has made a name for himself on the other side of the Atlantic - as a doctor of all things horticultural.

Dave, 37, a keen amateur gardener from Yeadon, set up a gardening website just three weeks ago and has become something of a celebrity amongst his growing number of fans in the United States - even if it has led to a bit of a confusion over water butts.

And he has put the success of his Doctor Greenfingers' advice clinic down to its quirky design and sense of humour.

"There are a number of gardening sites around, but mine is a bit different. It's like television, anything that's a bit stupid and fun is the kind of thing people go for, " he said.

Gardening is also a hugely popular hobby in America with people like Alan Titchmarsh very much the flavour of the moment.

"The Americans are crazy about British gardeners, they love programmes like Ground Force and they really like the fact that I'm a Yorkshireman who lives just a few miles from where Alan Titchmarsh was born."

Dave's website is based on a hospital and features an operating theatre, family planning, a maternity ward and even an accident and emergency department.

Gardening beginners can click on to family planning for basic advice while those with a gardening problem go straight to the accident and emergency department.

"A lot of people with new homes don't know what to do with their gardens - family planning is for them, I used to call it the virgin ward, but thought it was a bit strong," he said.

Dave, of Hawthorn Road, says he is learning something every day as he searches out the solutions to unusual gardening questions.

"One woman from California had a problem with her onions, I passed it on to one of the guys at the allotment who came up with an answer for her.

"It's great, it's like being back at school. I'm only an amateur gardener, but I've got lots of books and I can access the Internet as well to find a cure or antidote for their gardening problems," he said.

But it was one of Dave's gardening tips that has caused the most amusement on the other side of the Atlantic.

"I'd done this tip about water butts and how if you put a goldfish in them during the summer it stops any problems with mosquitoes - you have to leave the lid off of course, but in America butts mean something quite different."

One of his regular American 'hitters' picked up on the tip and quickly e-mailed it to all her friends.

"They've been laughing all over America about it, she's been telling people if they've got problems with their butts not to worry, get a goldfish to deal with it."

Dave, who is married to Susan, has a potting shed-cum-computer room in the old broom cupboard beneath the stairs where he regularly updates his gardening site.

And now he is looking for backers and other people to help him develop the site.

"Ever since I set it up I've been on it every day, I haven't even got time to watch the television anymore. "

Dave's website address is http.www.doctorgreenfingers.cwc.net.

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