Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Edna, 78, believes her allotment has become a lifesaver
DURING the l ockdown t hou sa nd s of people throughout Dundee are struggling to cope with restricted time outdoors.
However, for those l ucky enough to have gardens or an allotment, the pressures have undoubtedly been eased, with the area enjoying warm temperatures and sunshine.
One city allotment holder, Edna Moir, said that being able to go and spend time there every day has been a lifesaver.
The 78-year-old has a plot at South Road Allotments in Charleston.
Most mornings she heads there between 9am and 10am and recently hasn’t been returning home until around 5pm.
Edna said: “If I didn’t have my allotment just now to get me out and to keep me busy I don’t know what I would do.
“It’s so therapeutic being here and it’s also a great way to see other people at a social distance as we are all in our plots and it’s easy to keep a safe distance.”
Edna, who is treasurer of the allotment association, said that there are plenty of stops for a cup of tea and lunch and then it’s back to work tending to her flowers and vegetables.
She said that as well as keeping her busy in the fresh air, it also means she has plenty of healthy produce to fill her cupboards, meaning she doesn’t have to rely on going to the shops.
She said: “I don’t think I ever buy fruit and veg from the shops any more.
“Right now I’m growing spuds, beans, runner beans, kale, turnips, spring onions, carrots and beetroot.
“I also have soft fruit on the go, including gooseberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, apples and plums. I also grow rhubarb.”
She said that she often has far too much for her own use, but common practice is to swap with another allotment owners for something she doesn’t grow herself.
She said: “I also give anything extra to local food banks and food larders. Nothing goes to waste and it’s great to be able to give stuff to other people not able to grow their own vegetables.”
Edna grew up on a farm in Banffshire and has been a lifelong gardener. She said that while she was lucky enough to also have a garden, it wasn’t big enough for everything she wanted to grow.
She said: “Around 10 years ago a group of us asked the city council if they could help us get the former South Road allotments up and running again. They had been lying derelict for some time and had become a target for vandals, it was a real shame.
“The council cleared the land and erected fencing and we were able to form around 20 allotments.
“Now most of them are full. Currently there are only a couple empty.”
Edna said that since the lockdown some people had even created entertainment areas and had set up barbecues so they could spend as much time as possible at their allotment.
She said: “It’s been great to see people beginning to come out more to their allotment during this time.”