Page 58 - ALG Issue 1 2019

Southern
The allotment plot by Cold Ash Allotments
Royal County of Berkshire Show 2018
With the relocation of the Flower Marquee, the organisers took the opportunity to review the layout of the exhibits in and around the Marquee, and we found our stand had been allocated a more central position, adjacent to the allotment plot that had been constructed by members of Cold Ash Allotments. In previous years the allotment plot had been sited outside the Flower Marquee.
The new layout enabled improved interaction between us and admirers of the allotment plot. An added bonus was that we were also located adjacent to the Flower Marquee sponsors – Veolia, who were promoting Pro-Grow.
Our stand
disappointing results for runner beans whilst French beans appeared to do well. We also heard of, and discussed, the wide variety of results experienced with root vegetables.
Throughout the two days of the Show, we had a regular stream of visitors
to our stand, enabling us to promote
the benefits of forming allotment associations and the advantages of becoming members of the National Allotment Society. Many home gardeners expressed the view that whilst they could just pop outside their back
door to harvest produce for a meal
being prepared, or just do five minutes weeding, they did miss the benefit of gardening with others where
experiences and views could be exchanged. We are hopeful that many of the membership application forms handed out will result in completed forms being returned.
Mike Cantillon
The main topic of conversation with visitors to our stand was obviously 'the weather' and the lengths gardeners went to so that they could, hopefully, obtain a good harvest. The common themes were waxy potatoes that appeared flowery after boiling, and the
Pumpkins!
An entry in the Inter Village Competition
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