Sites & people
Heathryfold with Jim
Jim was our volunteer from Heathryfold Private Allotments in Aberdeen. Jim has had his plot for about 3 years. He grows a range of veggies from brassicas to carrots, as well as strawberries and flowers.
Holburn St with Adrian
Adrian has had his plot for over 15 years and enjoys growing a wide range of fruit and veg using both dig and no-dig methods. See what’s going on in Adrian’s allotment and how he has changed his growing practices over the years.
Slopefield with John
John and his wife have been taking care of their plot at Slopefield for around 5 years. As well as growing a range of fruit and veg, John believes the grass pathways are key to maintaining a healthy worm population.
Powis edible garden with Rachel
Rachel is one of several volunteers at Powis Edible Garden which provides a foraging place for locals. Any unwanted food from the community centre avoids waste by adding to the sites compost supply.
Bedford Rd with Alan
Alan is a well-experienced grower who has an atypical plot with a focus on forest gardening. He has advised local groups and has even written a book about it.
Nellfield 2 with Colette
Colette has over 15 years growing experience with about 5 years at her allotment. Colette grows a selection of fruit and veg, but her real growing passion is for medicinal herbs.
Springhill community garden with Sharon
Sharon works on growing a community as well as food and has been a key figure in obtaining land for a communal growing area in Sheddocksley. The group started growing in raised beds, but are now also working on improving the soil in their expanding site.
Gray St with Neil
After a successful trial with a smaller plot, Neil has been busy converting a larger flower growing site to a food growing site. In the past 2 years he has managed to grow over 20 types of fruit and veg using a mix of dig and no-dig methods on some challenging ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
can anyone get an allotment?
Any adult resident in the UK is eligible to request an allotment plot. This is usually subject to a waiting list and a fee of around £20-£80 per year. The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners offer extensive advice on obtaining and maintaining allotment space. The first point of contact is likely to be your local council, but you can also look out for private allotment sites in your area. Anecdotal evidence suggests the demographics of allotment holders are shifting to include more women and a wider range of age groups.
why are allotment waiting lists so long?
A wide range of factors have led to the popularisation of allotment gardening over the past decade. These include increasing awareness about the environment, the physical and mental health benefits of gardening, increasing food prices, and reactions against large food supply chains. Lockdown also played a major role in people’s appreciation of outdoor spaces and the natural environment.
Many councils are working hard to help people access allotment space by establishing new allotment spaces, restoring disused spaces, and reducing the plot size to create a greater number of plots.
where can l grow if l don’t have a garden and can’t get an allotment?
There are several options available. During lockdown Keep Growing Aberdeen launched a window-box initiative which helped hundreds of people with little or no growing experience to start growing in their homes and create social connections. It’s good practice to start small. Keep Growing Aberdeen are now an active group who share tips on growing and cooking, swap seeds and have up to date news on related events.
Community gardens are also a good option, especially for those who don’t feel experienced enough to start growing alone or want more social connections. Aberdeen City Council created a useful map of growing spaces around the city. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 has helped communities in Scotland buy land and be involved in decision-making processes of how land is used.
Community gardens are becoming increasingly popular around the UK but are often in discreet locations and not widely known about. Try searching for ones in your area. You might have one one nearby. In Aberdeen, community groups such as The Allotment Market Stall, Cultivate Aberdeen, Springhill Community Garden and One Seed Forward may be looking for volunteers.
Disclaimer: The funders have no responsibility for the information provided or views expressed in this website. The views expressed are solely those of the authors.