"Ian B" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over
winter on a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list. Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been
touched since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot
to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took
it on in ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site,
new gardeners encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern
magazines and TV get a plot and then realise it is constant battle
against weeds, lack of rain, too much rain, physical hard work, and
most of all time. If people are in full time employment it is very
difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless you are totally
committed year in and year out and prepared to change your life style
to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every weekend
and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

I wonder if such promotion of, er, gardening as a "fashion" might be
creating an excess demand for allotments? Is there a greater churn of plot
allocations than there used to be?


A few years ago it was silly, there were 147 on the Council waiting list and
17 for our site alone which only has 30 plots. The situation now is there
isn't really a waiting list but no plots free either (yet) so it's about
balanced now.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK