Green-fingered motorist Elena Eliott has created a roof garden with a difference - it's on top of her car.

Elena, 42, decided her brown Lada was dull and boring, so she planted a lawn on the bodywork.

The mother-of-three, lovingly waters and trims the garden each day before taking to the road.

The unusual motor - which she calls her carden - has also had a new flower-power style paint job.

Elena had the idea after husband Gordon, 50, bought the car as a runaround for her and their children Waby, 11, Pancho, seven, and four-year-old Jara.

She said: "It's just a bit of fun and I think it's fantastic.

"I needed a car and my husband got me this horrible brown Lada. It was quite depressing.

"I decided I couldn't go out in it and I needed to do something. I decided to paint it and put some flowers on it.

"I love my gardens and my husband said, 'Come on then, put a little garden on top'.

"So I did. We put on some insulating foam and a sort of mesh and then put the earth on it.

"We put another mesh on top and then sprinkled grass seeds through the mesh.

It's working superbly - the grass is even reseeding itself.

"In a year the whole thing is going to be covered in flowers and plants.

"I did it in January and February and it needs a lot of water. I wait until my neighbours are not looking then cut the grass."

Elena, of Blackboys, added: "I haven't been stopped by the police yet. They have seen me in the car and their mouths drop right open.

"The whole thing is just a bit of fun and I suppose you shouldn't do that sort of thing."

A spokesman for Sussex police said: "It does not appear to contravene any part of the Road Traffic Act.

"There are certain concerns - the lawn has to be well maintained and fixed to the roof properly.

"The only problem would be if you are driving along the dual carriageway and hit 60mph and turf started flying off.

"In addition, she should make sure that when she is watering it mud does not run down the windscreen and obscure her view.

"We suppose that in many ways it's just like a roof rack."