Once again, allotments showed that they are more than just a place to grow food
As 2020 now draws to a close, it seems the right time for us to reflect on how important our allotments have been in this extraordinary year. As the prospect of a lockdown loomed, there was a frenzy of activity in case visiting our allotment was banned.
I was not alone in hastily planting all my potatoes, peas and beans far earlier than normal.
It was quite a relief when the government deemed that gardening on one’s allotment was an acceptable form of exercise.
The sun shone for days on end in early summer and our plots flourished – some of them looked better than ever before.
We were the envy of many having somewhere to go and people to talk to, even if it was at a social distance.
The community spirit flourished as we shared compost, plants and seeds, supplies of which had become scarce.
It comes as no surprise that allotment waiting lists have soared, particularly in t he cities.
Edinburgh’s list has swelled to eight times its previous rate.
Not for the first time allotments have demonstrated that they are more than just a place to grow food.
Research by JC Niala at Oxford University refers to reports that allotmenteers in the 1918- 1919 Spanish flu pandemic had better health and were more likely to survive because of their practice than those who did not have plots.
The value of allotments during the Depression has been welldocumented. Even the 1970s oil crisis led to an increase in demand for plots.
They have also often been described as a sanctuary by those of us who feel a sense of relief from everyday stresses as we get stuck in to tending our plots.
A Glasgow lady called Jean Mckay recalls how, during the Second World War, her mother felt that their allotment hut was a safer place to bed down than an air- raid shelter.
The Federation of Edinburgh and District Allotments and Gardens Associations is gathering impressions from Edinburgh plotholders as to what their allotment has meant to them this year.
The contributions are diverse and inspiring.
They include observations on wildlife alongside what’s been growing.
There are happy tales of what a good place their plots have become for meeting their children and grandchildren.
Even some home- schooling has been taking place on the plot. Others have shared their artwork including beautiful paintings and in one case a tapestry depicting their plot.