So why did you get an allotment???

[Hans Mum]

PS One thing I will miss if I cease to be an allotmenteer is the comaraderie!

thats a huge part of the enjoyment isnt it....i can sometimes spend more time chatting than digging!!

agree with these thoughts although its not somethiing I expected but ive met some lovely people who I never would have and a few have become really good friends.

I originally got one as DD was younger then & played football, etc in garden so veggies were taking a hammering,(now its the chickens) I love going to the lottie & as Mogs says its a fantastic stress buster

[smallfrog]

Mum and Dad own a small nursery (or PLant zoo) i resented not being able to play ball games etc in our garden and had no grass!!

Had DS and flower beds veg beds at home were getting larger and lawn smaller. So thought better recolate before i turned into my mum and band the balls.
Now i've got one its great to have something to do as a "family" and even OH will help althoughhe hates being outside.

[Two_Sheds]

I avoid contact with the outside world (or perhaps it is people I avoid, not too sure )

me too! I like my work buddies, I like my lotty buddies, but the general public I really can't take to: my sister loves just mooching round town all day buying tat. That's my idea of hell

PS One thing I will miss if I cease to be an allotmenteer is the comaraderie!

I go up my lotty for peace & quiet, but it's been an added bonus to talk to people that I wouldn't normally meet or pass the time of day with: and since we got some women on the committee, it's becoming more of a community.
We're chatting, swapping plants & planting flowers around the perimeter fence instead of just Flymoing everything into submission

Living in rented accomodation makes it difficult to grow at home...

Landlords seem to always want bare concrete or flat lawns. Less bother for them when you move out I suppose.
That's why I got my first allotment, because I had no garden of my own ('96).
Now I have my own garden, but I still spend more time at the lotty

[JJSH]

I grew up on a small holding, with my Dad mainly growing the veggies and my mum being a very keen gardener, growing all sorts of herbs. I liked the tractors, and eating the animals, but wasn't so keen on this gardening lark.

I put my name down for an allotment because I was sick of paying silly money for fresh herbs. It came through this year, and now have onions, shallots, sweetcorn, squashes, etc, etc, as well as my herb bed and go down there nearly everyday, and I really enjoy it.

I guess I must be getting old!

[jackie j]

I have always loved gardening and only have a small one at home, only grew a few toms and beans in pots. Watched the programme about allotments ( in wales ) a few years ago and thought I want one so put my name down. My late sister laughed at me. After waiting about 12 months or so I got a half plot in September 07, at the time I was my sister's carer as well as looking after my own family and working part time and I thought how the hell will I manage. My oh bought me a brand new shed an away I went, my sister laughed again but couldnt wait to have some of the produce that hopefully I would manage to grow. One month later my sister died ( I know I have mentioned this before ) and it became my refuge, somewhere I could go and be on my own, cry if I wanted to without anyone asking questions as I am usually the only one there. I love it so much that this february we took on a second half plot, my sister would say I was off my head lol. I was never able to give her any of the produce but so far I have grown sweet peas to take to her grave, giving her the flowers makes it feel I am giving her something from the plot.
I would spend all day every day there if I could.