Hydro Allotments at Mallow Homes & Garden Festival


 It is the third year we have been invited to make a garden for the Mallow festival, a big event on the gardeners calender in the south.We have had very heavy rains and our whole site had to be covered with bark mulch.It was not just a 'show' garden visitors came in and walked around and asked questions about the allotments and produce.
Some of the veg which was grown in the garden school beds.

 We had a shed, Angela cooked up some delicious food on a camping gas stove for us each day.We had nettle soup,banana bread, courgette cake, baked ham with new potatoes and this afternoon Zwena was making a nettle tea!
One of the raised beds which were made,painted and filled onsite
We  erected a picket fence to surround the garden, there were happy hens in an ark and they  laid eggs each day and  children were fascinated when we opened the nestbox to show them

Rosie demonstrating how to wash spuds! As one of large family when there was no running water, the spuds were put into a bucket with some water and moved around using a stick or broom handle and the potatoes were cleaned in double quick time.Angela then cooked the spuds for our Sunday lunch!

back on the allotment, Kathryn gave our scarecrow a complete makeover! He looks quite scary to me, a bit like a gangster

We had torrential rain which flooded homes and businesses in low lying areas.This is a housing estate near me where the residents had to be evacuated the water rose so fast.

The shed where Angela cooked up our tasty treats, with the water barrel and the edible hanging basket with strawberries, nasturtiums, cherry tomato and salad leaves.
Friday and Sat were lovely sunny days at the festival but today was back to cold and wet.Our strawberry barrel was the centre of attention each day, holes were cut at random in the sides of the bin.There is a lengthof plastic piping down the centre with holes drilled to distribute water evenly throughout the barrel.There are wheels on the bin so it is easly moved.We also have a herb one in the allotments.

Comments

Anonymous said…
what fun Peggy...I would loved to have been there for this festival! I like the bin used for growing plants...particularly the wheels and the tube down the center used for irrigation.

enjoyed your photos and that the hens laid eggs!
Matron said…
That's Brilliant Peggy! So many people want to know how to grow their own food nowadays, you are leading the way!
Latane Barton said…
I am so sorry that you have been having such rain! Seems like some places get too much and others not enough. Guess we shouldn't question God, though.
Kelli said…
The allotment display looks super and really interesting for the public. You all do a great job! We had some flooding up north in residential areas as well, makes a really horrible mess. Hope there's no more flooding. Hoping for better weather this month.
Sharon said…
Well done Peggy,
I love your gardening style, every year I try to grow a few things for the table but have had bad luck so far. Slugs just finished off my lettuces and my garden is plagued with ants at the moment. Maybe next year I will get it right!
But seriously well done on your Blog.
The Mallow Festival looks like a huge hit! Except for the poor people getting flooded out, it sounds like things are gradually improving. The Allotment looks wonderful!
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the tip on quick washing of potatoes--our crop will be in soon and I'm new at growing them. Any advice is useful! Lori
whattheducks.com

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