Many gardens are either too small or non existent, so what do you do when you are keen on gardening, but simply do not have enough land for your needs? You can work in pots, buy a window box or get an allotment. This last solution is becoming increasingly popular as seen in the celebration of the allotment all this summer.

Allotment gardeners have been celebrating the National Allotment Week from the 8th to the 13th August, and in Greater Manchester this meant turning one of the most prestigious and historic shopping and business squares in the country into an allotment for the week. Manchester Harvest, the city's home grown festival promoted allotments and home grown food in the exclusive city square made famous by Bonnie Prince Charlie, who inspected his troops in the square 250 years ago.

The event was opened by the Mayor of Manchester, Cllr Afzal Kahn watched by organiser Mr Andrew Farmer. Mr Kahn said, "Allotments bring a little piece of paradise into our lives, and that is what we all want for our region." Mr Farmer, an allotment holder in Manchester said the whole idea started out as a joke in a pub. But it was taken on by a number of groups including the National Federation of Allotment Societies. "A lot of people and organisations have contributed to the event, either by giving cash grants or by donating plants and materials."

A small army of allotment holders were on hand to deal with the public on a rota basis, answering questions and giving practical advice. Allotment societies from all over the Greater Manchester region clubbed together to provide plants and hardware to create a model allotment and container grown foods for smaller gardens and patios showing how a variety of fruit and vegetables can be grown for very little cost. All it took is time and enthusiasm, and if these gardeners are anything to go by there is plenty of that about. There were various stalls, activities and demonstrations during the week, cookery sessions, tastings, gardening tips, and a special 'Gardener's Question Time' on Thursday afternoon.

Decline and Rise......

In recent years there has been a resurgence in the popularity of allotments following a long period of continual decline. In the 1980's the number of allotments in the country had fallen to a twentieth of the Second World War high of five million. Recent public concern over the quality of food and the desire of many to live a healthier, more organic lifestyle, have contributed to the turn around in the viability of most allotment societies. Affordable house building competing for already over stretched land resources have also fuelled the demand for allotment spaces. Rossendale Borough Council are having to make plans to build a number of new sites and almost all the allotment societies in the Greater Manchester area have long waiting lists. Gone are the days of derelict rubbish filled plots and sites with only one or two used gardens.

Another thing of the past is the image of the 'flat cap' brigade. Allotment societies are keen to portray a more wholesome picture of their membership. There are frequent barbecues, competitions and family events. The number of women plot holders has increased at a rate far outstripping their male counterparts and societies are keen to welcome children and families onto their sites. There is a great deal of interest in allotment gardening from young people, quite a large number of which have contributed to the Manchester event. There has been a 20% increase in allotment gardeners under 30 in the region in the last five years.

A number of allotment societies have links with local schools to encourage young people and begin to combat the nuisance caused by vandalism. There is also a lot of money and effort creating not only disabled access to allotment sites, but easy access gardens that can be worked from a wheelchair.

Getting an allotment is more than getting a garden, with it also comes lot of friends, advice, healthy living and food that is clean, wholesome, cheap and perhaps most importantly, environmentally as well as human friendly. For more details about getting an allotment you can telephone your local council and ask for your district allotments officer.