The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word SEEDBED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
E
E
D
B
E
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "growing area?/growing area?/growing area?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case growing area?/growing area?/growing area? = seedbed.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SEEDBED mean?
SEEDBED noun- Ground prepared for the planting of seeds.
- A place conducive to development and attainment.