Hertsmere MP James Clappison spent more than £3,000 on looking after his garden at his “second home”, despite owning 24 houses and a cricket club.

The work and pensions spokesman used taxpayers’ money to buy petunias, geraniums and busy lizzies for his £375,000 house in London Colney, where he lives with his wife Helen.

Mr Clappison’s main home is in Leeds, which is worth around £360,000 and is registered to his wife. Neither property is mortgaged.

To subsidise his £64,766 MP’s income, he rents out another 22 houses in Patrington, East Yorkshire, and Withernsea and owns 27 acres of farmland inherited from his father, who was a farmer.

He also owns the ground of Patrington village cricket club and sits on the club’s committee as “president and proprietor”.

Since 2001 he has pocketed £102,241 in second home expenses, including £300 a month for food, £115 a month for a cleaner and £31 a month for cable TV.

He also claimed £3,166 for regular work on his garden since 2004.

According to The Daily Telegraph, over two months last year his gardener invoiced him for a box of geraniums, five boxes of petunias, one bottle brush shrub, one and a half boxes of busy lizzies, three trailing geraniums and five trailing petunias.

Between 2006 and 2007, he spent £567 on gardening and £892 on repainting, reflooring and window cleaning. The work included the supply and fitting of a new lavatory seat in his bathroom.

The following year, he claimed £3,541 for roof repairs and £1,990 for redecoration, including the refurbishment of brass fittings to his front door.

Mr Clappison said yesterday that he voluntarily submitted his expenses claims to the fees office for review last month.

“They found that my claims were not only entirely within the rules but also within the spirit of the rules,” he said.

“The only exception was one claim for £38.50 for bedding plants, which I immediately repaid.

“This was an honest mistake on my part.”

Shirley Legate, Conservative councillor for Potters Bar, sympathised with the MP.

She said: "MPs are underpaid for what they do. They should get another £20,000 and not claim anything for a second home.

"I know the MPs have come out badly from this, but there wouldn't be a problem if they were paid more."

Total second home claims:

2004-05: £10,656

2005-06: £12,376

2006-07: £12,161

2007-08: £15,916