A SLICE OF PARADISE!
Kitchen Garden|November 2020
This month we feature Emma Bailey whose plot, for her, is a haven of peace, calm and restoration
Emma Bailey
A SLICE OF PARADISE!

What first prompted you to start growing your own veg?

I lost my nan to cancer in October 2017 and I found it quite hard to cope. Someone suggested that gardening was really therapeutic and a great way of clearing your mind. So I bought myself two small raised beds and a handful of seeds for the spring. I have been hooked ever since!

There is something so incredibly humbling about growing your own fruit, vegetables and flowers. I can just completely lose myself in it. Life can be so busy and overwhelming at times, but it's very calming to know that no matter how difficult things might feel, the seasons will still come around, the seeds will grow and the birds will still be singing.

Did you start with an allotment or with a veg patch in the garden?

I started with a vegetable patch in our garden in our rented property. So I had to grow most things on a patio in pots! I was very glad when an allotment plot became available.

You got your first allotment last year. How have you found life on the plot?

I love life on the plot. The second you walk through the gates, you’re entering a different world. My site is in South London, just off a busy road. But the second you enter the site, it feels incredibly peaceful and quiet. It's a little slice of paradise!

You have two young children. How have they enjoyed life on the allotment?

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