I stumbled across the concept of an allotment watching old British sitcoms. The city allows private gardens on public land, most often unused, unbuildable strips of land. Each gardener is allowed a small 10 by 10 or 10 by 20 foot plot to grown what ever they want (as long as it is legal.) Mostly vegetables, flowers, and a few compact soft fruits. The actor who played Mr. Lucas on Are You Being Served died of a heart attack, tending his beloved allotment.
Here in Northern Virginia there are a few places with allotments or public gardens. With so much of the population in high density housing, low rise, mid rise and high rise buildings where no one has a dedicated yard, it allows space for a little gardening. The gardens are generally fenced to keep the deer and veggie thieves out. Some of the gardeners do an amazing amount in a limited amount of space.
This one is in Old Town Alexandria, along the right of way for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, between the proximity to 10 lanes of traffic, and the kind of boggy location, there is little land could be used for, but it makes a wonderful garden. I understand the wait list to get a square, is several years long.
Gardening puts people back in touch with where real good food comes from. Do I want to do it, not really, I don't bend down very well anymore.
I never toiled in one, but we have a ton of them here in Bucks County.
ReplyDeleteWe could use more here.
DeleteI remember them being called Victory Gardens in the States. I wonder if that’s still the case.
ReplyDeleteA world war II term, comes in and out of fashion
DeleteWe call them community gardens here and they are popular with many and I would think there would be waiting lists at some. I like the idea but they are never pretty places.
ReplyDeleteGardens and farms have a special kind of beauty,
DeleteYes, community gardens are great things for urban apartment dwellers!
ReplyDeleteAnd we love our urbanity
DeleteWe have a small community garden near our farmer's market in town, for folks who may not have the land of their own to garden. i love these kinds of spaces.
ReplyDeleteThis one is neat, and needed
DeleteGardens (rodent buffets) are for, well, gardeners. While I appreciate the thought, I never want to see another home grown zuc..zucci...zucin.., green tubular squash for the rest of my lifetime! I know, I missed the point again.
ReplyDeleteOh, those veggies, once they start they never end
DeleteI don't know of any around here but I do know that several schools have gardens for the children to tend and teachers help kids learn how to garden and how to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit.
ReplyDeleteThe school near me had a garden, pre-covid
DeleteI had some chums in England who grew things in a community garden. I had never heard of such a thing. If I buy a house it must have room for a vegetable garden.
ReplyDeleteFriends of ours owned a condo near the University of Chicago, they had a 10 by 10 foot garden plot on a vacant lot next door. Decades before the house on that lot came up for sale and the association bought it so they could control what was next door. Tomatoes make good neighbors.
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