This National Allotment Week, Chris will be celebrating all that his vegetable plot has to offer – including plenty of wildlife

Alternative text should describe the visual content of the image. — Chris enjoys bountiful produce from his London allotment

National Allotment Week (12-18 August) has been running for 22 years and is an important annual milestone that raises awareness of the value of land put aside for people to grow food.

Allotments are a fantastic example of when public services get something right, and they’re a precious resource for communities and wildlife across the UK.

On a personal level, my plot is a place I love dearly. It gives me peace of mind, clarity of thought and helps put the world in perspective. It provides me with ample fresh organic food, which in turn encourages me to cook and eat more healthily. I also meet and engage with people of all ages and races.

Encouraging plot visitors

My allotment also provides me with a place where I can encourage wildlife and support our precious pollinators. This year’s National Allotment Week looks at the power of our plots to boost biodiversity – and I know only too well how important these growing spaces are.

Each year, I create a flower and food montage at my plot - mixing edibles with ‘pollinator corridors’ along the length of the plot. Regular composting provides healthy vibrant soil, within which plants and nature can thrive.

As time has gone by, a balance of predators and pests has developed with hedgehogs, foxes, birds of prey, amphibians, small birds and slow worms among my visitors. Along with a healthy number of pollinators, they’ve all come to be a part of a well-balanced plot.

Overcoming plot problems

But I’m not going to sugar coat it and say allotments don’t have their challenges! I took over my plot after it had been left wild for many years, and at times it’s been a battle.

The pernicious weeds I inherited soon return if I’m not around to keep on top of things. And we all know this year has been particularly challenging with the cooler wetter weather making it a bumper year for weeds and gastropods. However, I’d rather be pulling up weeds and collecting snails than stuck in front of a TV and I’m pretty sure that the physical exercise is pound-for-pound cheaper than a gym - and there’s definitely a lot less lycra.

People are also an important part of the allotment experience. These growing spaces are often a microcosm of society with a vast range of characters, all with different backgrounds and experience. Innovation is easily found, such as West Indian plot holders using short pieces of hose as ‘snakes’ to keep the birds off their seedlings. And of course, plenty of weird brews of wines. Runner bean wine is the latest concoction being made on my site.

So let’s hear it for allotments! A simple but beautiful concept, which fully deserve our support. I know these days it’s not so easy to rent one but don't give up. You could get together with some neighbours or friends to share a plot to make it more manageable. The one thing you’ll need above all else for an allotment is time - but for me, it’s time very well spent.