Scottish Allotments Conference 2017

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For 2017 the main thrust of the conference was about growing. The morning was devoted to presentations of two very different approaches to allotment cultivation. George Anderson, of Beechgrove Gardening fame, gave an interesting talk promoting traditional allotment gardening as developed during the years of war time food shortages and self sufficiency. The theme here was straight lines, no 'wasted' space, maximising yields and a war on weeds. The talk was illustrated with delightful anecdotes from his 40 years of allotment gardening.

John and Margaret Lear of 'Plants with a Purpose' talked about a very different approach. Food production was still important but promoting wild life sanctuaries and thinking about natural eco systems was also a high priority. Margaret in particular introduced the conference audience to an amazing range of perennial native edible plants. Apparently even ground elder was introduced by the Romans as a valuable salad vegetable.

After a break for lunch and networking, Phil Gommersall, President of the National Allotment Society, a UK wide organisation to which SAGS is affiliated, updated us on the present activities of the group. Steve Tolson then took the floor to launch the latest SAGS publication - Grow Your Own Allotment. This booklet is intended to help towards and understanding of the purpose and benefits of allotments and to galvanise amd grow support to deliver more allotments for Scotland.

This was followed by presentations from existing allotments with an important story to tell. Craigentinny and Telferton allotments have fought and won a long and arduous campaign to preserve their long established site from the depredations of developers. Arbroath have used the new Community Empowerment Act to set themselves up as a SCIO (a charity) with real independence from Local Authority control.

Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society