This is not an allotment, this is a show garden worthy of the Chelsea Flower Show, I thought to myself as I entered through a hidden gate in Barnet, north London. A sweeping tunnel of more than 100 fruit and flower trees led temptingly towards more secrets and surprises tucked away in Steve Mills' plot, which he has been tending to for 14 years.
There are not enough allotments in Glasgow and indeed across the UK. While the company Roots and other private allotments have a place, they can never be a replacement for local authority ones. Under the 2015 Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act, Scottish local authorities have a duty to provide allotments. We need to find more space in our cities for them spaces that have been proven to improve mental and physical health, at an affordable price.
The successful exhibition at Hornsey Library raised funds for Shepherds Hill Allotments, highlighting the importance of community support for necessary site improvements and maintenance.