Allotment article in Sunday Times Style Magazine

[faerieprincess]

Did anyone see the Article on Allotments in the Style Magazine in the Sunday Times? It's about 'Nyudies' - or new yuppie diggers. It's now apparently so trendy to have an allotment that Nyudies are hiring landscape gardeners to come in and do their plot up, and making sure their sheds are better than everyone else's, etc.

[piskieinboots]

each to his/her own I guess

[pdblake]

No wonder our waiting list is so bloody long.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I didn't see the article, but I think that employing someone to do it for you would take the fun out of it - yes, setting up an lottie/taking over a disused one is bloomin' hard work, but its so satisfying to see it doing its thing and knowing that you and your hard work got it like that.

I freely admit that I am very competitive when it comes to our village garden society shows, and I have serious 'plot-envy' when I look at other peoples lotties, but I discovered the other day that other plot holders have 'plot-envy' for mine - that's cool because I know its all my work not that of some fancy landscape gardener/designer.

I feel...takes a deep breath..., that if these people can't commit to getting their lottie going, then how will they find the time/energy/enthusiasm to sew the seeds, nurture them, harvest and nourish the soil afterwards. My guess is that the vast majority of these 'trendy' allotmenteers won't stick it out for too long, but I hope my cynicism is proved unfounded.

[NOG]

We deal with this under our sub-letting rules. You have to do the work on your plot. Ok you can have people helping you but you need to do it.

We did have some people who just held on to plots in the hope of the site beingsold off and them getting a share of the money. So were employing people to do keep the plots tidy.

[Pumpkin Becki]

just held on to plots in the hope of the site beingsold off and them getting a share of the money.

...seriously?? Good grief

[Lady Jana Muck]

So much for the credit crunch if people can afford to do this. They just dont get it, allotments are there for people to have a chance to get fresh fruit and veg and most people who own allotments motto would usually be "To make do and mend" not trying to go one over on anybody, otherwise what would be the point. Sad people

[faerieprincess]

We deal with this under our sub-letting rules. You have to do the work on your plot. Ok you can have people helping you but you need to do it.

We did have some people who just held on to plots in the hope of the site beingsold off and them getting a share of the money. So were employing people to do keep the plots tidy.

Well according to the article, Merilyn Canet, the southeast rep of the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners said 'the motto of the plot is use it or lose it. "Thereare no rules that say you can't bring in staff to dig your trenches for you if that's what you want." ' So I guess a lot of allotments don't have that sort of a rule. Maybe they should introduce it more widely.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Mmm, what can you say really? They will never know that feeling of satisfaction you get from turning a piece of wasteground into something productive!
Also, I found the artilce by Monty Don on beating the winter blues very interesting, also being a fellow sufferer. I agree wholehartedly, there is a lot to be said for the benefits of gardening.

[Snadger]

Theirs some funny people darn sarf!

[bluemoon]

I'd like to say 'I don't believe it' in a Victor Meldrew voice, but sadly I do.

[Two_Sheds]

I just got round to reading the article this morning.

to be honest, I think there was more than a pinch of artistic license in it: it was a bit of a mickey-take of the posher people who now think allotmenting is trendy.

Waiting lists are so long, that by the time these Nydies (?) get to the top of the list, they will have gone off the idea.

[SueA]

I thought it was a bit far-fetched too but I can see some people going that far to be able to say they 'grow their own' without having to actually do it theirselves! Don't think we've got any like that round here though.

[Snadger]

Had a bit of a strange one at our allotments recently. Someone from out of the area had put their name down for a plot. Eventually a plot became available and when all came to all the plot had been aquired as a wedding present for someone else!

[maytreefrannie]

I just got round to reading the article this morning.

to be honest, I think there was more than a pinch of artistic license in it: it was a bit of a mickey-take of the posher people who now think allotmenting is trendy.

Waiting lists are so long, that by the time these Nydies (?) get to the top of the list, they will have gone off the idea.

I read the article and I agree with Two Sheds.

The author also mentioned she's on the waiting list for an allotment herself.