Allotment Spotting on Anglesey
For a long time, much to Ant’s annoyance, I have played a game of ‘Allotment spotting’ on every car journey we go on. This involves me loudly shouting ‘Allotment’ with any glimpse of non-commerical vegetable growing.
Last week we were on holiday on Anglesey. On Gardener’s World I had seen the Beaumaris Allotments featured and decided to contact the ground to see if we could have a look around.
Beaumaris meaning ‘fair marsh’ is a quaint seaside town with a very interesting history. Beaumaris castle is a United Nations World Heritage site and was constructed between 1295-1330 under Edward I as the last of his ‘Iron ring’ of castles in his bid to control the Welsh!
Having recently celebrated their centenary, allotments have a long history in Beaumaris. You couldn’t imagine a more beautiful setting – The Menai Straits, Snowdonia and Beaumaris castle are all in clear view. When I say clear view, obviously weather dependent! Unfortunately on the day we visited the Welsh rain was well watering the ground, but the views were there and I can imagine how lovely this place would be on a summers evening tending your plot!
One of the ideas I really liked was these lovely plaques celebrating the winners of the site’s annual awards. Attached to gates, sheds and fences it was a really nice touch!
I enjoyed some of the recycling ideas. On one plot I saw a frame made from recycled plastic bottles. I am not sure if this was used as a cloche or whether it had a roof as a coldframe earlier in the season. A nice chicken enclosure was at the back of one plot. We keep our chickens at home rather than at the plot, but I do always envy sites with livestock. A cute sign summed up the allotment the allotment ethos!
The beaches on Anglesey were awash with uprooted seaweed. What a fantastic resource. After reflecting on the prices I have paid for organic seaweed feed I wouldn’t mind a trailor load of this! You are fine to collect uprooted seaweed from the shores, but should not remove seaweed that is still planted as it is an important habitat for many creatures.
Committee member Jill kindly shared a number of favourite recipes from Beaumaris plotholders. I will look forward to trying Hugh’s Spicy Pumpkin Soup and Mairwen Evans’ fruit cake!
Visiting Beaumaris allotments was not the only ‘allotment spotting’ we did holiday. Whilst going for a walk on Llanfairfechan Beach on the mainland, I noticed these plots in the background! (much to Ant’s annoyance this one was not planned, honest!).
Other allotment-related items spotted: Tiny greenhouses at Anglesey Model Village and huge piles of manure at the Mountain Zoo.
