[medieval knievel]

interesting article on the beeb site about the burgeoning interest in growing your own:

[GPI]

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling this interest in grow-your-own and allotments is going to explode in popularity in the next 5-10 years.
Ireland seems to follow england in these trends.
Hopefully though it is not a trend, but is here to stay.
Time for the city councils to start factoring the provision of allotments into their annual reviews.

[Lisa-Adam]

Hope they give all the energy rich foods to the Irish atheletes. A great idea in fairness to tie the growing your own in with the flagship for health and fitness.

[Rach]

Hi there,

I was told by some Green party people that the councils are legally obliged to provide space for allotments in their council area.

Not sure how true this is or whether it would make a difference.

In the mean time you can always ask a few neighbours or friends for space in their gardens. That's worked for a few people I know and most people like the idea of veg/fruit growing in their gardens without the work involved.

Strange, think it's the work that's the attraction for gardenin folk.

Rach

[sorcha]

I did come across a group who are starting to try and do the same for Dublin, although they don't seem to have been going for all that long yet. They have a blog here, if anyone is interested (and I have a feeling that anyone on a veggie growing site probably is :)

[Corylus avellana]

There is a huge amount happening out there. South Dublin Allotments Association, based in the South Dublin County Council area, has been active for a few years now (http://homepage.eircom.net/~sthduballots). A similar group is forming for the north side of Dublin - check out ww.boards.ie and search 'allotments'. There you'll see references to food growing all over the country. There are at least two private allotment sites, in Meath. Community gardens are also springing up, organised by groups of residents, such as de Courcy Square and in Greenhills. Long may it last!

[Sundew]

2 links to recent allotment discussion.
http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about1478.html

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055277130

I have just returned from a short break in Manchester where I visited my Aunts allotment , Dublin doesn't know what it's missing

Here are 2 photos I took on the allotments!



_________________
"Don't wear perfume in the garden - unless you want to be pollinated by bees"

[janelee]

Looks like we have a long way to go over here Sundew, but we'll get there. I wonder what is the idea of the white gladiolis in the second veg bed photo, is it some sort of companion planting to keep pests away from the veg. I may be over analyzing it of course.