leaf and flar
Growing organic food, fruit and flowers with little budget or space.
Trying to create a productive kitchen garden on a small urban allotment on the South Coast of England which works with nature, not against it.
I live on the beautiful South coast of Sussex in the UK and rent a 5 rod allotment where I grow food and flowers for my small family.
I count myself incredibly lucky to have grown up with parents that were always connected to nature and the land, and for generations my family have lived a very rural life, kitchen gardening, beekeeping, preserving and frugality were just parts and parcel of growing up.
I have very fond memories of harvest festivals, of the changes of the seasons and the smell of freshly dug new potatoes cooking on the hob. My parents had a 15 acre market garden for some years and my brother and I were encouraged to explore, help and appreciate the rhythm of the year, and I am hoping I can pass some of what I learnt onto my 10 year old son.
All this being said, as someone who now lives in an urban property with no private outside space I have become acutely aware that not everyone has the time, space, money to 'grow their own' and that the traditional kitchen gardening methods people have used for years are not a one size fits all. Everyone needs to find their feet when it comes to gardening their own patch. On my small allotment I try to put everything that I have learnt and garden in a way that saves time, cuts down costs and is as physically manageable as possible and hopefully encourage other to do so too.
