The revelation that some allotment plots can reach up to £300 in annual rent in Britain is probably a sign of changes in the allotment world. This may seem like a high price to pay for an allotment plot but the Scotlandwell allotments in Perthshire near Kinross believe that their ‘super’ allotment bring excellent value for money.

Indeed for that price you get access to the following facilities according to Garden News:
a club house with fully fitted kitchen including a bread oven, a gardening library, 3 barbecues, car parking spaces, regular events, security, and free tea, coffee and juice for children. An artesian well has also been sunk to ensure that alloment holders have easy access to water. But most of all each plot has been dug over and is guaranteed stone free! Now that’s a luxury you wouldn’t get with a standard £15 rent a year council allotment.

You would probably expect to find this type of facilities in a more urban and cash rich like London but it seems that the allotment is popular with local residents from all trades of life.

I am lucky enough to be able to grow all my vegetables in my garden and if I were not able to do so I would certainly look to find a plot nearby. Although I don’t really need all the luxury which the Scotlandwell allotments bring with them. I would be particularly interested in the sense of community that allotments can bring together and which I have seen on many allotments in the Birmingham area for example.

There has been an increasing demand for allotments in recent years with a resulting shortage. In Cardiff alone it is reported that the allotment waiting lists stands at 857 people with an average waiting time of almost 12 months.

And we are being constantly being encouraged to reduce our impact on CO2 emissions with greater emphasis on where we source our food from. So I wonder: just like local councils provide recycling bins to every household is it possible that one day they will also plan for and provide grow-your-own plots for every household?