Do you think this is too cheeky?

[Seahorse]

My lottie is an end plot. Running the length of it is a bramble thicket, varying between about a metre - to two metres in depth, then a drainage ditch about a metre wide. Obviously that space isn't 'mine' as such but nor is it of any real use to anyone else. I've been wondering about clearing a few extra patches of bramble (once I've finally finished all those growing on the actual lottie!) and planting some useful-but-not-obvious trees. I'm thinking I could get a blackthorn in there for sloes and maybe a hazel or two. Something with berries for the birds would be good too. Any other ideas very welcome. The lottie is long and thin, so there's quite a lot of potential space. I can't see that it would be a problem for anyone else, plus that's the north side of the plot, so there are no shade issues.

I'm sort of reluctant to ask officially, because if I get a jobsworth 'no' then I can't really just do it, whereas if I go ahead, I'm willing to bet no-one but my nearest neighbours will ever notice.

Is it a bit too cheeky though?

[JanieB]

Seahorse, I suspect that the drainage ditch is the boundary of the land that is owned/rented by the people who organise the lotties (most likely parish council). The brambles are neither use nor ornament except of course as a hedge. I doubt if pinching a bit will ruffle any feathers, and anyway cutting it back a bit will stop it encroaching on your hardworked plot , won't it wink, wink.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Weren't those trees always there, behind the brambles............?

[moggssue]

Others should thank you for taking the trouble to clear it up a bit. Thats if they notice of course. I would just be careful not to go outside the boundary of the allotment land, otherwise good on you!

[Nicos]

I'd do it!

[HeyWayne]

Trim the brambles into a tree shape, let everyone get used to them, then swap them for the real thing one weekend when no-one's looking.

[Paul Wagland]

I like your style Seahorse! A crab apple would be at home in this situation, and maybe a dog rose for the birds? Of course you could also gradually replace the brambles with heavier fruiting, cultivated varieties...

I read recently that the way to get rid of brambles is to dig down until you find a bulbous lump just below the soil, then cut underneath this. Any regrowth should be weak enough to rip out without too much effort.

Any of you heard of the Guerilla Gardeners? Google them - they're great fun. Going out at midnight to plant old neglected roundabouts and embankments with flowers. Resistance is fertile!!!

[Hans Mum]

go for it you can always plead ignorance (works for me anway)

[duggie]

I'd go for it. You can always claim, innocently of course, that you thought the drainage ditch as your plot boundary.

[Flummery]

and maybe a dog rose for the birds?


Any of you heard of the Guerilla Gardeners? Google them - they're great fun. Going out at midnight to plant old neglected roundabouts and embankments with flowers. Resistance is fertile!!!

I was going to suggest dog rose Paul. My old allotment had one by the boundary fence. Got enough for a gallon of rose-hip wine every season.

My son (PhantomVeg) is a memebr of Guerilla Gardeners. They are mainly floral (so to speak) but he'd like to try 'free-range veg' !

[veg4681]

I'd go for it because I would (okay I'm cheeky enough ). Like you say, useless piece of land, in nobody's way, you'd be clearing it up for them (whoever owns it) and if they complain, you can always abandon the land (as if they'd notice anyway). You could grow stuffs that are similar looking to bramble (raspberry, tayberry, loganberry, thornless blackberry, wineberry etc while making these look a little wild) so that nobody would notice you're actually using that land.

BTW my sis-in-law has a big leaf mould composting area just outside the boundary of her garden that belongs to ministry of Scottish forestry of some sort (I'm guessing), too obsure for any determined rambler to drift into this part of the woods and make the complaint.

[Winged one]

I was going to put compost heaps in a simiar (but nettle rather than bramble filled) area at the boudary but beyond the edges of my plot. I have now been inspired to plant it instead with fruit bushes and maybe a tree or 2 - I say go for it!

[Seahorse]

Thanks for so many reassuring answers!!!

I was thinking trees but now you say it Veg, you'd have to be quite sharp eyed to pick out the odd rasp etc amongst the brambles, wouldn't you!?

Reckon I can add another 80m square or so to my plot if I'm careful...

[carlseawolf]

just make sure the brambles you are cutting down arn't the one's keeping the vandels out of the allotments.

[Seahorse]

just make sure the brambles you are cutting down arn't the one's keeping the vandels out of the allotments.

Fair point Carl but the only ones providing obvious access (ie without having to yomp though a swamp and pole vault a drain!) are the ones at the far end. Those brambles will, of course, be staying right where they are!