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?
Bu hikaye Kitchen Garden dergisinin November 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Kitchen Garden dergisinin November 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years
RESTORING THE BALANCE
The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality
Celebrating Organic September!
In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive
SEEING RED
Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try
A NEW kitchen garden
Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!
