GET OUTSIDE AND GROW YOUR OWN Victoria Harvey, 40, Horsham, West Sussex

These three gardeners have joined Food Community…

“Home-grown tatties are the best,” says Carole. “As a child in the 60s, I grew up on homegrown veg – tomatoes picked straight from the vine, carrots pulled out of the soil and eaten raw, and podding peas for a snack.

“Three years ago, I tired of eating tasteless veg so I put two raised beds in a sunny spot in my back garden and bought two potato containers. I grew Casablanca because it was the name of my favourite film but it didn’t yield a great crop, while Arran Victory gave a good crop and tasted great.

“In my first year I grew everything from shallots, lettuce, Swiss chard, beetroot, carrots, spring onions, sorrel, sweet peppers, to peas, broad beans, radishes, runner beans, and strawberries. The greatest gifts from growing have been talking with the plants and seeing the birds, getting my hands into the soil and having that great sense of satisfaction.”

“When we moved here, our new-build garden was roughly turned soil – five years later it’s a highly-productive veg patch,” says

Victoria.

“At first everything was decimated by slugs, aphids and caterpillars so we stuck to fruit and planted apple, cherry and plum trees, gooseberries, blackcurrants and grape vines which were easy to maintain.

“Then came lockdown and with

our three children we decided to dig a vegetable patch in the lawn.

“Six months later we have grown tomatoes, pumpkins, runner and green beans, peas, salad, garlic, spring onions, beetroot and much more. “Where our potatoes have been dug up, broccoli has taken its place. When the runner beans come up, garlic will grow there for next year.

“We even grew the sweetcorn in our lawn!”

Katrina Malone, 55, Walkerburn, Scottish Borders

“When I moved to my house on the banks of the Tweed last year, I only discovered there were fruit trees in the garden because an apple fell on my head!” laughs Katrina.

“I had to learn how to look after all the fruit bushes – redcurrants, blackberries, gooseberries, elderberry, rosehip and sloes – and share them with the birds, and store some for myself.

“I carved out a bit of my garden and started digging. My carrots and parsnips were wonky but tasty, my broccoli and cabbage were eaten before I could harvest them, but each precious leaf was amazing. I even learnt you can make pesto with carrot tops.

“At Christmas when I open my hedgerow gin and vodka, I will say cheers to the accidental gardener who crept up on me.”