Being a single parent is a privilege. I became one in 1993 when my children were 1 and 4 years old. Their father left and we never saw him again. We now know he moved to Spain and died in 2010. Bringing the two up has been an incredible, amazing and life affirming adventure. We were, and are, a unique team of three and believe all things are possible.

Fast forward to January 2015.

Both the children are independent, amazing adults with great futures ahead of them – #oneproudmum.

But ….  All that focus and attention has to go somewhere …. my relationship with a long term love had crashed and burned at Christmas – I needed a purpose, and so out of the ashes Project Allotment was born.

My local authority informed me there was a half plot (5 rods) available, and despite the fact the  plot was a tangle of brambles weeds and grass the clearing commenced using only a spade and the help of trusty friends – (Alex  Sarah and Megan – couldn’t have done it without you). No chemicals or machinery were to be used in the revitalisation of my precious space.

Each weekend throughout January and February (and thanks to a wet but mild winter) we worked on clearing the plot. By March we had it cleared. A path in place, courtesy of someone’s old cement kitchen flooring tiles; an arch courtesy of eBay, and a shed from Wilko.

Customised lavender paint was wizzed up in Homebase; a sunny Spring day spent painting with Sarah; and Allotment 94B was born! A true Phoenix and a symbol of my new beginning ….

This blog will talk about my learning and growing produce at 94B, as well as the adventures and experiences of a working, novice allotment-holding ’empty nester’.

……your expertise, experiences and thoughts will be greatly appreciated ….