Plotting

We might have neglected the allotment a little over the last few months. By which I mean we haven't even set foot on it since mid August. 

There was so much wrong in our relationship with our plot - it's too far away, we have to drive to it, we didn't have any spare cash to throw at it, we were really really busy, Gus hated it and would run off, Elsa would start grumbling within ten minutes of arriving...the list of negatives was quite long. We almost gave up the lease in December when the renewal notice came through the door.

At the very last moment, I panicked, called up and payed our dues with hours to spare. The thought of being in the city without a patch of actual earth to cultivate was a little too much. Instead, I accepted our failure over the past two years, took a deep breath and set to work rethinking the whole thing.

The original plan was ambitious and maximised the amount of growing space. Lots of bed space, narrow paths and not much else - fabulous. But it didn't work. Growing space is only so important to actual productivity it turns out.

We have a new plan.  A large part of our problem was that in an attempt to maximise growing space, we forgot the most important things - space to sit, space to throw down a blanket for a picnic, or a tent for the very sunniest and rainiest days. We forgot the people who make the garden.

We visited the plot yesterday. Elsa was happy to eat clods of earth and watch us work. I think we have a real allotment baby toddler there. Which is good, because we have much work to do...

whoops.