Sunday 1 September 2019

I (ahem, we) got an allotment.

Today I am the happiest girl in the world.  I have an allotment! 

I got an allotment!  By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #allotment #ukallotmentgarden #newallotment #gardenblogger #allotmentblogger

I've known for a little while that we were going to get it, but I didn't want to say anything to jinx it, and I didn't have a definite date, so I've been keeping hopefully quiet with my fingers firmly crossed for the last couple of months.

I got an allotment!  By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #allotment #ukallotmentgarden #newallotment #gardenblogger #allotmentblogger

AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL! 

Would you like to know the story of how we got our allotment?  (I'm going to assume you've said yes!)

When Joe and I were on holiday in May we decided to bite the bullet and put our name on the council waiting list for the allotments in our town, which are conveniently located right behind our house. I'd wanted one for years, but we've been busy with house stuff and life stuff and I wanted Joe to be on board to help with the heavy jobs!  When we got home I emailed the council to ask to be put on the list, only to be told it was closed.  There are currently 10 people waiting and no one's left the allotment site for years.  Cue big sighs and resigning ourselves to waiting for years and years to get an allotment. 

But then I remembered that there are a few public allotments at our local National Trust property, which is also conveniently located right behind our house.  I was a garden volunteer there, for about 5 years when I finished uni, and my Mum still volunteers in the house now, so I asked her to see if there happened to be a list for the allotments there. 

LUCKILY for me, there was an allotment coming free in the autumn, and the head gardener said we could have it!  It's very sad for the lady who used to have it, she's become to ill to keep it up.  There's still the last of her leeks and beans in, and all the soft fruit is hers, I'm not sure if she'll want to take any of it with her, but Joe's offered to help her dig up anything she wants to take with her.  The lady's paid for the allotment til the end of the year, but is kindly letting us put some stuff in the spaces this year.

I got an allotment!  By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #allotment #ukallotmentgarden #newallotment #gardenblogger #allotmentblogger

I know I am sooo lucky, I know not many people decide to put their name on an allotment list then actually get one 4 months later (albeit on a different site!).  It's more than big enough for us too, to grow potatoes and beans and onions and some pretty flowers.  A little shady, but that's ok.  And there are no weeds!  I quite like the challenge of it being at the National Trust, people pay to visit which is good motivation to keep it tidy and I'm going to research Edwardian allotments so I can make it look right.  

I got an allotment!  By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #allotment #ukallotmentgarden #newallotment #gardenblogger #allotmentblogger

I got an allotment!  By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #allotment #ukallotmentgarden #newallotment #gardenblogger #allotmentblogger

It's super peaceful and beautiful too.  I love these old apple trees (I can't harvest from them because they're used by the Trust, but I can appreciate their gnarled beauty).  I love these gardens where I've spent so many hours gardening.  It was lovely to catch up with the head gardener again.  And the allotment where I started to learn about gardening is still there, just across the path from my own new allotment. 

I got an allotment!  By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #allotment #ukallotmentgarden #newallotment #gardenblogger #allotmentblogger

I am so happy and so lucky and I can't wait to get started! 




4 comments:

  1. I'm so unbelievably excited for you! And you get to have one on a historical site! And it's beautiful, already looking good and weed free and so picturesque! When we got out allotment when I was a child, it was HIDEOUSLY overgrown and virtually just grass and weeds!

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    1. Thank you! I'm (still) sooo excited too, many planting plans for next year are being drawn up and tweaked!

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  2. I saw on Instagram that you got an allotment, i am so pleased for you. I envy that you have got one with the National Trust - as you may remember my blog started around an allotment plot, but no more. I don't think i would nver sign up to a council one ever again after my experience/s, hence why i am super pleased for you as you will avoid the politics of council owned allotment plots. I look forward to reading and seeing more about your allotment antics and how cool its so close to your home too.

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    1. What a shame, I've heard so many bad things and horror stories about council owned allotments - my friends husband had washing up liquid poured into the fish pond on his allotment a while ago, by another allotment holder, to kill his fish, so horrible. I watch quite a lot of allotment youtube channels and people are always having crops nicked. Having volunteered at the National Trust I know there are also politics involved there, but I'm hoping to keep out of it and stick quietly to my allotment!

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