Sunday 14 June 2020

My Sunday Photo - Thinking about an allotment

There are allotments within a 10 minute walk of our house. I've no idea how one goes about getting a plot and I'm guessing there is probably a waiting list for one.


I really enjoy gardening and for the first time, ever, I've actually been in one place long enough to grow, nurture and harvest peas and strawberries and I have a pumpkin, beans and a cucumber growing. 

Part of my enjoyment with gardening is the fact it's just outside my back door. I can do what I need to do for as long or as little as I like. We don't need or want a showcase garden. We need to replace the shed and we're thinking of having one with a workshop in the back and a veranda out front with a lean to green house.

There are no rules that state a garden must have a lawn or traditional flower beds, so I'm investigating and planning how to combine an allotment style garden into the space we already have. Typically veg patches are at the bottom of the garden, behind fencing, but I'd like to see how we can combine veg patches, herb garden, some fruit trees and little paths meandering around the existing lawn.

It's taken me most of lockdown to restore the garden from a jungle to a relatively flat lawn, reclaim the paths from the lawn and make repairs to the sheds and the gates.

Seeing as it's going to be a while before I can get back to Dubai and the weather being so nice, now may be a good time to start drawing up some plans and researching foods I can grow for next year, when we're back in the UK full time.

I'd love to know if you've done anything similar.

Darren Coleshill

20 comments:

  1. Good luck with your plans. Sounds exciting building your own allotment style garden. The garden does look much better now you have reclaimed it.

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    1. I've really enjoyed spending time in the garden, I just wanted a decent base to work from, won't be starting anything new until next year when Peter returns

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  2. I looked at getting an allotment once, the list here was 18 months long. We didn't put any vegetables in the garden and we kind of wish we did now.

    Thank you for linking up to #MySundayPhoto ❤️

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    1. I think I'll stick with my idea of turning the garden into an allotment

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  3. That sounds like a really good idea! My parents had an allotment for a few years, but my brother did most of the work on it. When my brother moved further away, they gave it up. We've never tried growing vegetables at home, but we definitely have the space for it.

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    1. I'm going to be growing a lot more next year

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  4. Add a few bushes - evergreens and a few flowering bushes - they will require less work than just flowers. Add a few bulbs and next spring you'll have color. I love that you're growing strawberries and veggies. I look forward to your garden photos. #MYSundayPhoto

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    1. I like the idea of making paths between veg beds and bordering them with hedges

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  5. It sounds like you have some great plans. You have done so well with your garden so far. x

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  6. I started a veggie patch during lockdown. I'm a bit limited in what I can plant as it's winter now, but still lots of fun. As well as something to keep busy with.

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    1. I found gardening in South Africa difficult with the opposite seasons and also that it doesn't rain in the winter

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  7. The town where I work have been advertising allotments available, so it's certainly worth checking out local social media groups/pages. Good luck with your plans.

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    1. I'm not sure I'd actually commit to having to go out to do the gardening

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  8. Sounds like you have some fab plans for this. I love the look of it. xx #mysundayphoto

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    1. It'll be a job that will wait till Peter comes home next year

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  9. My gardening philosophy has always been that it 'aint worth growing if it can't be eaten. #MySundayPhoto

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  10. We would love to get one but there is a huge waiting list for where we are. We are on it, so we literally wait and see. #mysundayphoto

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    1. I'm going to expand what I have done already in the garden

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