Hi, this is my first ever allotment. I only wanted it because I needed to put up a second hand greenhouse for my private orchid collection (mainly Cymbidium and other cool growing subjects, eg. Coelogyne cristata, Masdevallia, Sarcochilus hartmannii, Dendrobiums etc.), having run out of space at home.

The veggies were an afterthought but they have been growing on me (forgive the pun).

Lots of experiments, too, everything in raised beds and grown through black ground cover membrane except for the raspberries and grapes. No weeding, haha!! Blueberries in acid raised bed. Everything irrigated by underground trickle hose system, just turn on the tap for an hour or so and everything is taken care of. No hand watering, standing around with a hosepipe for ages, half in your boots,  oh no, I rather plant, tend (tie up, kill bugs etc) and harvest!

There are lots of flowers, too, many grown as companion plants among the veggies or in their own flower beds (in red). The tropical bed contains Canna indica,  positively rampant - loves horse manure, Ricinus sansibariensis, Phormium, Yucca gloriosa, lilies, pelargoniums, abutilon and more.  The palm tree amidst the tropicals has defied the biting easterly winds that sweep up the hill (top is south and bottom is north).

As you look at my picture, imagine you are tilting it away from you. Now you are looking down the hill towards the pretty town of Marlow and beyond across the Thames Valley to Winter Hill, a spectacular view especially in the evening when the setting sun illuminates the hills opposite. Will take a picci to show you what it's like.

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