Cheddington Allotments

Cheddington Parish Council Allotments 

Things are stirring in the Cheddington Allotments. Despite the challenges of the long winter and the randomness of the Spring weather we are on our plots digging, sowing, planting and tending our allotments with great expectations for the forthcoming season. We have a diverse range of crops produced by 'allotmenters' ranging from traditional crops of cabbages, cauliflowers, carrots, cucumbers, celery and salad crops to special types of serpent-like vegetables such as tromboncino (trombone courgettes), sweet potatoes and pumpkins to be proud of. Flowers are in abundance to attract insects and bees for pollination and our pleasure, and fruit is grown to perfection.

Some of us are highly organised and have our allotments prepared in September for the next season and will be planting immediately into the ground with seeds and plants. Others, similar to myself, may have missed the boat from last season and will be growing our plants in containers at home or purchasing them from the garden centre to pop into our plots once we have sorted them out and they are in a respectable state to receive our plants. Different styles and approaches of allotmenting are in abundance on the allotments ranging from traditional dug plots with plants grown in neat and tidy rows to those who take an alternative approach with raised borders or country style cottage gardens and containers painted in 'Homes and Gardens fashion', which add to the pleasurable, diverse scenes of the allotments. Some allotments are based on organic growing and others are not. Essentially as allotment holders we all have one main thing in common in that we enjoy the challenge of providing food for ourselves that is fresh, tasty and traceable from dirt patch to dinner plate.

If you want to come down and meet us, the Parish Council’s allotments are at the end of Church Lane adjacent to the Village Hall. There are nearly 60 allotment growers with experience ranging from the absolute beginner to those who have spent a lifetime growing crops. Just speak to any of them and they will happily chat to you about their allotments and how we go about our allotmenting in our individual ways.

For the beginner and more experienced fruit and vegetable grower, friendly advice is available plus a good supply of banter. We all have our successes and failures on the allotment irrespective of our experience. Seeds, plants and produce are swapped during the season with a mutual interest in producing crops for ourselves despite the challenges of weather, insect pests, rabbits, availability of time and general life events. Also, unlike some allotment plots, we enjoy a plentiful fresh supply of water on our allotments.

There really is no need for you to visit the gym to keep fit! Health Benefits of allotment gardening research has suggested that participating in allotment gardening delivers a wide range of health benefits. Results highlight that regular gardening on allotment sites is associated with improved physical, psychological and social health. It is widely recognised that regular contact with nature is related to a range of favourable health outcomes, such as increased psychological well-being , general health including depression and anxiety symptoms, diabetes and obesity, and circulatory and heart disease. And there you were, thinking that Allotmenting is just about growing fruit, flowers and vegetables!

Given this wide variety of associated health benefits, it is perhaps not surprising to know that allotment gardening is today a popular pastime in many countries. There are numerous allotments in Europe - in the U.K. alone, for example, there are estimated to be c. 330,000 allotment plots across the country. (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, January 2017.)

So, we invite you to join us in enjoying plenty of fresh air and the satisfaction of growing your own fruit, vegetables and flowers in good soil, with good company plus additional health benefits.

Sheds and greenhouses are not allowed on the allotments without the written consent of the Parish Council, which helps to keep our allotments neat and tidy.

Invariably, we have ¼ plots to rent, however, even if all plots are occupied your name will be placed on the waiting register and you will be contacted when one becomes available.  Plots are usually rented on an individual basis but can also be with a friend as “Buddy allotmenterring” is proving to be very popular as it helps to share the work and provide the pleasure of enjoying the crops with a friend. Only quarter plots are allocated at first to enable you to get used to allotmenterring. Further quarters will be available once your first plot is established.

Annual rates for the allotment year starting on 1st October 2023 will be:
Full plot - £34; ¾ plot - £28; ½ plot £24; ¼ plot - £16; Out of parish full plot - £46. Please note there will be a slight increase for season 24-25.

Tenants over 60 are charged at half price.
Orchard plots are charged according to size without reduction for the over 60’s.

For more information contact the Parish Clerk, Roz Roberts, by email clerk@cheddington-pc.gov.uk or by phone on 07885 442643 or alternatively download and complete an Allotment Application Form (available from this website).