Urban gardens are growing - and it's good news for communities

In a fit of optimism during the Covid lockdown, I put my name down for an allotment.

I’ve always lamented not having a garden, despite loving my flat otherwise, but not having anywhere to sit in the sun, or attempt to grow plants and veg, was put into stark reality when all public spaces were off limits. I was surprised to learn that the waiting list in my area (there’s two allotment plots near my flat) was 10 years, so it was back to Right Move (and dreamland) for me. Since then, Glasgow City Council has increased the annual cost of allotments by almost 400 percent (I’ve also been noted of this via letter, despite having about seven years left to wait for one) with the council saying they’ve not increased prices since 2012, leaving many worried this hike will price a lot of people out of allotment ownership. The council have also created more than 250 allotment plots due to demand. Clearly the after effects of Covid and Brexit, plus the ongoing cost of living crisis has more and more people thinking about how to grow their own food.

Because of this, and rising allotment costs, some people have taken matters into their own hands. Growchapel in Drumchapel is a community space designed to welcome everyone, and has growing plots, raised beds and wildflower patches as well as seating and sensory areas. Closer to my home, I’ve watched with interest as a small community in Kelvindale took a patch of weeds and brambles, and turned it into a community grower’s garden complete with greenhouse and bespoke mural.

In Edinburgh, Leith Community Croft is taking the urban garden to a new level. This urban croft, located on Edinburgh’s Leith Links, is run by the charity Earth in Common. The croft enables residents of Leith and surrounding area to grow food collectively, enhancing community cohesion while also providing vital wildlife habitats, and was founded by Evie Murray, who wanted to give her children a healthy outdoor experience in a crowded urban environment. Of this, Evie has said: “The croft is quite a magical place in terms of wellbeing. The land itself offers wellbeing to people. Even just being here helps people feel inspired, friendships form and people feel less lonely. Being at the croft gives people a sense of agency. Local people are able to contribute towards putting food on their tables and nourishing their children. The croft gives people a real sense of joy.” The venture recently welcomed its first corporate members - Edinburgh’s Fingal and The Royal Yacht Britannia. This means money for the croft but also staff from both ships will offer their time, resources and skills to the charity, helping with everything from weeding to marketing, showing that the demand for urban garden spaces is becoming more and more of a focus for people and businesses.

While I may be only a few years into my wait for an allotment, it’s cheering to see so many people in urban environments make the most of the green spaces they have, and create their own where possible. It’s not only good for communities, which can often to lost to urban sprawl, but also mental health and wallets.