Allotments

I feel that this word 'allotment' is hardly sufficient a word to cover what these tiny amazing garden spaces were in Germany. I love checking out allotments wherever we happen to pass by them, mainly in UK I admit, but I did an absolute double start when I saw these.

I had been happily rambling through lanes and forest on my way back to the campsite on the outskirts of Bad Hapsburg and as it had started raining (again!) thought I'd take a short cut and take the most direct route back so as to avoid a total drenching...and that involved passing by these green and beautifully organised garden 'spaces'.


Allotments in Britain tend to be very functional and rather haphazard - mainly vegetables with a few flowers it seems simply to fend off pests or as edgeing to rows of runner beans and so forth. Rarely do you see one which is simply beautiful.

I suppose there are two (at least) schools of thought regarding what an allotment should be. Originally they were for growing vegetables but these days one sees ponds, fruit cages, mini polytunnels, cloches and all sorts of home-made contraptions for growing seedling or encourageing rapid growth of seedlings. Also a vast array of shed-like constructions - most of which have a very humble appearance which is all good and ecological but not always aesthetically pleasing.


When my father-in-law was at the nursing home in Trowbridge, we took him out and about a few times and there I noticed there a whole allotment almost all given over to vines and well-tended and trimmed they were too. We never got to see them in full fruit so to speak, sadly.

Anyway, take a peek at the photos and see what teutonic organisation is capable of even on a micro scale. Minature works of art ? All incredibly well tended, loved and cared for and also very productive, but notice that each plot was very well fenced and padlocked.


I think the main difference is that in Germany these plots are bought and sold and so are fairly valuable ; they are not rented from the council ! and as always happens, if you own a patch u look after it better and are prepared to put in the time and effort to maintain and improve your little 'allotment'. They were a delight both to the casual passerby and also to the owners who obviously derived a gread deal of pleasure from their little patches of eden.