This Week’s Guest Blogger is Carole Hussey, a retired Maths teacher who lives in Lincolnshire and who is slowly taming three allotments
Dear reader, at the tender age of 61 years, four months and a bit I have taken the next step in my gardening life.
An Allotment.
Some say foolish (less kind say senile) but I am thrilled. I have gardened as long as I can remember … as a very small child I spent hours with my Grandfather in his allotment style garden and my love for all things growing was born.
Yes, I’m the one wearing the dress and yes, life really was in black and white then!!
I have had lots of gardens between then and now but never an allotment … until this week!!
I have been sharing my garden and vegetable growing progress on Instagram and rapidly built up a following of like-minded folk of all types – younger, older, novice and experienced. To my surprise and delight, I find myself offering ideas and advice as well as picking up masses of information and becoming more and more envious of those with allotments. So what else can a girl do? I got one!
We are very lucky in the village to have a small number of allotments tucked away down a lane (called the Green Ramper ) and, even better, the site is five minutes stroll away from my house. It was meant to be.
For the princely sum of £25 per year, I am now the very proud holder of this weedy piece of land. Let the fun begin!!
And now …
So here I am, six years later (where did that time go?!), still allotmenting and loving it.
I have three plots now ( yes, THREE) and grow cut flowers as well as the more traditional veg and fruit. We have built up a good social vibe on the site and have reinstated the Allotment Association (a good excuse for a social gathering!) and had our first open day complete with a plant sale, scarecrows and a “Best Plot” competition. Yes, Dear Reader, I did win!
To find out more about Carole’s allotments follow her on Instagram @plot303