Bumper harvest of Loofah gourds at Somerset farm

A bumper harvest will help Brits scrub up this autumn at the only place in the country where they grow LOOFAHS. Despite many people thinking they are relatives of the sponge and live underwater, loofahs are a member of the gourd family that usually grow in the hot, humid climes of Vietnam and South East Asia. But Ston Easton country hotel near Wells in Somerset manages to grow the green vegetable in their 32-acre gardens, and this year is set to be the biggest haul of loofahs ever. Head gardener Steve Hargreaves and vegetable gardener Dale Toten are so proud of their loofahs that the hotel is housing a Loofah Festival at the end of October, scheduled to coincide with the harvest.