The flooding at allotments in Northwood.
GARDENINGIT NEVER rains but it pours for those poor allotment folk at Northwood.
Not only were they flooded out during the winter but now they have been told to leave in September, just 18 months after the landowner made the field available.
It’s a great shame all round.
It isn’t just residents and parish councillors who slogged to make the dream reality, the landowner, too, put in a considerable amount of effort and money to lay on water and a caravan for allotment holders to meet, have a cuppa and store communal tools.
The train started to come off the rails when the allotments flooded in the torrential rain but, in reality, apart from nutrients leeching out and a few leeks and brassicas ruined, now is not the most productive time of year and losses were minimal.
The plotholders had said: "Better a plot that’s flooded a couple of months of the year, than no plot at all."
The experiment proved there is a need which was not being met.
It has also fired the enthusiasm of growers, who have attempted to persuade the lady landowner to change her mind and are now looking elsewhere for permanent plots.
Paul Morris is chairman of the allotment holders’ association and he’s scouting about for an acre of cultivatable land in the Northwood area.
Ideally he’d like to rent but, if the figures add up, he might look at buying.
"People went to a lot of expense and hard work setting up in the first year and wouldn’t want to do that again without knowing they are safe to continue," he said.
"I’m 47 now, and was put off gardening as a child, but thought I’d give it a go and it has been brilliant.
"The fun and the friendliness down there has been fantastic. I even entered my first ever horticultural show in the summer.
"We are working with the parish council to try and find some land and if there is anyone out there who can help, our allotment committee would love to hear from them."
Paul can be contacted through me at the CP on 01983 522210 or richryde@tiscali.co.uk.