The bargain hunters

London markets are enjoying a renaissance. Not just about shopping, they have become an exciting sensory experience. Sample delicious fresh produce, sip endless cups of Brazilian coffee, search for one-off treasures and, above all, find inspiration among the most unlikely stalls.

Spitalfields

At 11 o'clock on a Sunday morning, Spitalfields is already mobbed. Shoppers - a cocktail of Japanese tourists, groovy mums and pound-pinching students - nudge through the crowds, eager to nab that vintage kaftan or Pucci-inspired handbag. It's a real mix of the unconventional. Aspiring designers sell their creations (jewellery, clothes, hand-beaded flip-flops) next to organic food, Seventies furniture, quirky baby gear, hippie candles and affordable art. It's the kind of place you could buy an outfit for a party, food for the week and a gift for a friend's birthday.

'There are so many gorgeous things here,' enthuses Camilla Rutherford, model and actress, 'I'm almost overwhelmed by it all.' But after sifting through piles of garish shirts and dresses on one stall, Camilla turns up her nose and heads a different way. 'I'm not into over-the-top quirky,' she says, 'I'm a classical dresser, possibly even verging on the conservative. I never wear T-shirts with things like "Lick me" on the front; I prefer simple designs. Also, whenever I go to any important parties, I'm lucky enough to be dressed by designers and that has left me with pretty high standards.

'If I buy vintage, I like to see that it's well made. It might be 20 years old but it can still be beautifully designed. The best thing I ever bought was a butterfly dress by Bill Gibb for $70 in a New York flea market. It's wonderful, the kind of dress you'd wear to a fashionable party at the Cannes film festival.'

Strolling from stall to stall, Camilla handles a silk polka-dot scarf for £15. 'Isn't this sweet?' she says, then moves on to a display of necklaces, decorated with itsy-bitsy flowers and dazzling sequins. 'The last time I was here, I bought some cool turquoise earrings. They were triangle-shaped, probably Eighties. But for £20 I wasn't really bothered about their origins. I just liked them.'

Camilla doesn't claim to be an expert clothes shopper but suggests that you should always consider whether your purchases will match other outfits you already have at home.

'I rarely random buy,' she says. Thinking in outfits means you can build up a really decent wardrobe.'

And on the prowl for a flattering bikini, she zigzags around a furniture stall, and half-stops to scrutinise a dress. 'I saw some great shoes over there,' she declares. 'And possibly a bag and a hat. But let's look at these jackets first...'

So much temptation, so little time.

Patchwork floral top, £22. 'I'm a classical dresser, but I love colour. This suits my shape, and it's cheap.'

Camilla's choice

Tartan bikini by Muse, £35. 'This is perfect - low-slung pants and an underwired top, like a proper bra. Flattering and practical.'

Bag from Comfort Station, £49. 'It's fun, graphic, and useful.'

Spitalfields market, Commercial Street, E1. Liverpool Street Tube. Monday to Friday, 11am-3pm; Sunday 9.30am-5.30pm.

Columbia Road

For complete sensory overload, Columbia Road flower market is hard to beat. Gorge on a pint of fresh prawns from the local pub, nibble smoked-salmon bagels from the 24-hour joint across the way, absorb the eye-candy display of multicoloured flowers and sniff the air that suggests a hint of rose, lavender, lily and nostril-quivering manure. It's all fascinating stuff, but don't be put off if you have to fight your way through the hordes. Thanks to Alan Titchmarsh and his obsession with perennials, the market is getting busier every year.

'Every time I come I'm surprised by the increasing amount of choice,' says Stephen Woodhams, floral and garden designer. 'I never come with a set idea of what I want. I just get completely immersed in the whole scene and see what stimulates me - it might be a colour, a texture or a fragrance.'

Although Stephen is currently based at his own shop, Woodhams @ One, at One Aldwych, he first started selling plants at Farnborough market when he was 16.

'I used to love the atmosphere, the craziness of it, the fun,' he remembers. 'Of course it was hard work but I learned so much. Markets are fantastic places to come for variety and ideas, but you probably need to have a little know-how up front. Most of the guys here don't have the time to advise you on whether your plant needs a sunny position or acid soil.'

Licensed since 1927, Columbia Road has only been selling plants and flowers since the War, but as the public's interest has increased, the surrounding area has been developed. Swish interiors and garden shops (look out for Open House, 152 Columbia Road) are dotted about, while hip cappuccino hang-outs offer flavoured coffees and Portuguese custard tarts.

'That's what makes it a great experience,' enthuses Stephen. 'You can have an early breakfast here, trawl around the stalls collecting your plants, then stop for lunch and do some people-watching. The local characters are entertainment in themselves.'

As if on cue, the resident rent-a-spiel throws a box of petunias into the air and demands that someone offers him three quid for the lot. No one responds so he throws the box skywards again and asks for 'a pathetic two quid'. A dozen or so bodies lunge towards him and petunias and hard cash fly in all directions.

'See, there are cheap buys to be had,' nods Stephen. 'You have to be pretty tough, though. When I bought my citrus plant, the bloke refused to give me £2 off. Pathetically, I just handed over the full amount. Working in a market didn't teach me to be tough, did it?'

Stephen's choice

Dahlias, £10 per tray. 'Although some people think they have an old granny image, dahlias are trendy right now. Look out for hot pink, strong red and orange.'

Ornamental citrus, £12. 'This is a great price. I'm going to a friend's house for lunch today so I'll take this as a gift.'

Coca-Cola box, right, £15. 'The whole point of coming to the market is to be inspired. I saw this old box and thought it would make a great container. It's not always about putting your plants in a terracotta pot.'

Stephen's shop: Woodhams @ One, One Aldwych, WC2 (020 7300 0777). For landscaping enquiries, call 020 7346 5656.

Columbia Road flower market, E2. Shoreditch Tube. Sunday 8am-12.30pm.