Monty’s plot to spark an allotment revival
GARDENER Monty Don has called for an allotment revival to counter the dwindling number of young people with access to gardens or plots of lands.
The presenter and writer, who is best known for hosting the BBC’s Gardeners’ World, said: ‘We’ve lost so many of our allotments and it’s a tragedy.
‘They’re increasingly important as young people have less access to gardens. They’re part of our way of life and we can’t keep building on them. Councils have been selling them off and say that they’ll find space somewhere else, but this is missing the point.’
Mr Don, who will host the BBC’s coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show next week, warned that young people are being turned off gardening because they can no longer afford homes with green spaces.
The 59-year- old said spiralling property prices meant that younger generations will not have the opportunity to develop green fingers.
‘My generation grew up expecting some sort of ownership and access to gardens. I had my first home aged 26 and started growing things then,’ he told Radio Times magazine.
He added: ‘My three kids are in their twenties and none of them rent or own homes with gardens. A generation is growing up with no access to green space.’
The gardening expert, who has a column in the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine, suggested that a set percentage of new housing should have access to allotments.
He insisted: ‘We need to make new ones. I think people have a concept that they’re now out of fashion and were a response to the World Wars.
‘After World War Two there was a policy to reduce the amount of allotments as we’d never have to dig for victory in the same way in the future. But it was a crazy policy because we do need to grow our own food.’
Mr Don went on to say: ‘Allotments are supposed to be in the centre of things. They unite people of different ages, diverse backgrounds.
‘They’re about community, communication, producing food and doing it alongside each other. They’re a paradigm of a successful society. We should treasure them.’