A place for newbies to introduce themselves.

[Jeannine]

Hi, to all newbies, I have started this  this spot here so you can,  if you choose, come and  say Hi and introduce yourself and  tell us a bit about your garden etc. Often newbies get overlooked when saying hi in the other threads and I for one feel bad if I don't get chance to welcome them.  I will bump up the thread periodically and we can see how it goes.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

[Torreya]

Marvellous idea, thank you!!

I'll start the ball rolling, shall I?

Newbie to this site, joined a few weeks ago, but just after I did, the 'pooter packed up!!

We don't have a 'proper' allotment  :(

We DO have a walled garden with a veg plot of 25yds x 25yds  ;D

Had a bad few years for various reasons, so starting off with a massive clearout of the brambles, weeds etc. If you want to see how we're getting on, look at our new blog at   http://ashfurlongwalledkitchengarden.blogspot.com

We're in Sutton Coldfield nearish to Hill allotments, just much, much colder!

Into growing lots of old/Heritage varieties, to try and keep in with the age of the garden, plus unusuals such as Oca, Achocha etc  So I'm doing a lot of swaps with friends made on this and other sites.

Hope to pick up some tips from all the many experts on this site - you all sound brilliant!!

[Trevor_D]

Nice idea, Jeannine.

I remember that when I joined I was very hesitant about jumping into an established thread; it seemed a bit like butting into a private conversation. (And I'd been lurking for months, so already had an idea of a few of the more established members.)

Welcome Torreya!

[Mortality]

Welcome Torreya, looks like you have your work cut out sorting the garden, but I bet it will be beautiful by the summer !  :)

[lottiedolly]

Welcome Torreya and long may you stay  ;D

[mat]

Wow Torreya, you have my dream garden!  Lucky you.  How did you manage to find a walled garden all ready to rediscover?!!!

[Torreya]

Thank you all for the friendly messages!!

As for 'just' finding it , Mat, not exactly......My father took on the place in 1956, cleared the whole place of 6' + brambles and nettles all by hand by himself!!. He died in 1981, my mother and I continued until her death in 2000, now hubby and I look after it.

Unfortunately, it is only rented, and we've had probs with the tenancy, plus, hubby and I have both had health probs over the last 5/6 years so it's got overgrown.  We're now pulling ourselves together as much as poss. and getting on with clearing it bit by bit.  Keep looking at the blog for more details of how we're progressing!

[mummybunny]

What a great idea  ;D

Hi Torreya just had a look at your blog your greenhouse looks bigger than my house  ;D ;D ;D Cant wait to see it in all its glory will keep checking on how your progressing.

Lucy x

[reddyreddy]

what a fab garden! When I move I want my OH to build me one!!

[Le-y]

Hi Torreya and welcome! I too looked at your blog and would love that glass house!!

well though i am not technically classed as a newbie any longer i realise that i never really introduced myself i just kinda jumped right in.

I'm Ellie (hence my name LE) am 24, married with two small boys, ones 21 months and the other just turned 6 months (yes i am crazy).

Got my allotment in July last year but couldn't do anything to it until October due to being quite heavily pregnant and on bed rest.

Cant wait for this years planting and growing season, I'd never grown even a flower before last summer and i found a passion for growing veg by accident!

My eldest Theo is very green fingered like me loves to come to the allotment and dig with us and i let him plant some broadbeans on the window sill couple of weeks ago and he's very impressed that they are growing!

and in the short time I've been here i already love a4a :) My in laws think i am so clever when i give them tips or use ideas from here on the allotment, though i do have to come clean where i get them from so as not to seem dishonest  ;D

[Torreya]

Hate to tell you, we;ve got 3 glasshouses!!
The one we're sorting out first is approx 20' x 24' and was a gift from a local nursery that didn't want it any more. Approx 1950's/60's vintage and made specially for Delphiniums!
Next on the list is another rarity, it's 16' wide by roughly 55' long and it's rare because it's made of steel!! Not the best of materials as when it gets hot and the metal expands, the glass doesn't, so, occasionally get broken panes! Otherwise, it's a really useful size. It also has a sibling at a waterplant nursery in Hereford.
Lastly, we have a Robinsons cedarwood built by my father back in the 1960's. 25' x 72', but unfortunately, this one's really on its last legs.  We're just debating what exactly to do with it, take it down and use it for hardstanding/carpark, try and rescue some of it or replace it with a polytunnel.  Suggestions -- sensible ones (!) --welcome!!

[Le-y]

Hey, now your just showing off!

we rent too, went to look at other houses (as we're moving next month) and there was a house with a massive garden with green house and 3 large sheds included (big greenhouse too) but alas the living room was TINY!
I was sorely tempted to go for the place just for the garden and greenhouse but the thought of the two boys running about that pokey little living room during the winter put me right off!

[Tee Gee]

Excellent idea Jeanine!

I would like to add another couple of things and they are;

There is already a lot of 'info' available in the 'Wiki' tab at the top of the page;

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?page=9

The other thing is; Could you newbies (and those oldies who haven't) please put your location (nearest town/city will do) into your profile or better still just under your avatar.

This helps people such as myself to be able to give you advice more suited to YOUR area rather than what I do in my area.

Thanks!

[SamLouise]

Welcome Torreya :)

Jeannine, nice idea, would you like it stickied up the top? :)

[Wilder]

Hi Guys :),

I joined a few weeks back having stumbled upon the site looking for seed/plants swaps in the south East.
I started converting the back garden last year and built the beds myself
Pictures here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/34459063@N00/sets/72157616387622288/

My son of 12 had outgrown the play area we built for him and his friends so I made 2 proper beds and one narrow one against the wooden pallisade.

I'm Irish, from Cork and have lived in the UK since 2001, married to a Hamburger ;D. My daughter is 19 and at Uni in Dublin.

I work 3 days a week from my home office so that was ideal last year in terms of regular watering, pulling weeds, etc., I'd spend most lunchbreaks and coffee breaks in the garden.

I need to update the Flickr stream as I've widened the narrow bed now and created a new soft Fruits patch. I still don't know much but I do know where to get advice and enthusiasm counts for a lot :) I got so much pleasure from growing my own veg last year, giving little parcels to friends, one of my proudest moments was this gift basket I made for a mate's 50th birthday
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34459063@N00/3632120217/in/set-72157619833300968/

Another real thrill was the fact that almost none of the carrots or mange tout I grew made it into the pot as they were invariable eaten raw on the way to the kitchen! My son would come home from school and go straight to the garden for his fix.  He also became more interested in cooking the stuff he picked, another bonus.

In the short time I've been on here I've already received seeds from two wonderful members and great advice. So glad I found you!!

I'm being a bit more daring this year, growing an even wider variety so browsing through back threads here to see what works.

[1066]

Lovely idea Jeannine  :) And making it a sticky makes heaps of sense

And a proper formal welcome to Torreya (that's some project!!), Le-y and Wilder  ;D

[Sparkly]

Marvellous idea, thank you!!

I'll start the ball rolling, shall I?

Newbie to this site, joined a few weeks ago, but just after I did, the 'pooter packed up!!

We don't have a 'proper' allotment  :(

We DO have a walled garden with a veg plot of 25yds x 25yds  ;D

Had a bad few years for various reasons, so starting off with a massive clearout of the brambles, weeds etc. If you want to see how we're getting on, look at our new blog at   http://ashfurlongwalledkitchengarden.blogspot.com

We're in Sutton Coldfield nearish to Hill allotments, just much, much colder!

Into growing lots of old/Heritage varieties, to try and keep in with the age of the garden, plus unusuals such as Oca, Achocha etc  So I'm doing a lot of swaps with friends made on this and other sites.

Hope to pick up some tips from all the many experts on this site - you all sound brilliant!!

Wow this looks amazing!! Best of luck with it!

[irnhed]

Hi guys - about time I introduced myself.  Seems like the perfect opportunity.

Real name is Rob (irnhed is a nickname from ages ago), and I live just South West of B'Ham with my wife & 4 year old son and 2 (about to be 3) year old daughter.

I've got two allotments, one for veg & one for fruit.  Veg is actually a half plot (hoping to extend to a full one this season, after a successful 'probation' year).  Fruit one is a 2/3 plot, newly planted with some fruit trees & blueberry bushes (bit of a longer term plan that one).  Currently working on the bog garden, pond, insect hotel & log pile on the newer fruit plot.

In addition to those, I've got some home-made veg bozes at the bottom of the garden (to use up the huuuge concrete space that the previous owner used as a base for his massive shed).  I use these for quicker crops like salads etc. and to help educate the kids about growing things from scratch.

Along with the annual family sunflower growing competition.

We've also got 5 chickens living in the garden (Xena, Susie, Frankie, Goldie & Murray) and I've got a colony of honey bees in a local orchard, which seemed to have survived 'our' first winter so far (fingers crossed).  Also got 2 other hives that need stripping in preparation for some new colonies in the Summer (hopefully).

Man, makes me tired just typing all of that out, never mind looking after it...    The kids love being on the allotments, and I'm slowly sucking my wife in to it as well.  

I'm also a big advocate of wildlife gardening, so I do what I can to encourage as many species as possible in as may areas as possible.  Whilst also trying to keep it looking tidy so I don't get in trouble on the sites.

Have been lurking since around September last year, and have learnt more on line here than in all of the books that I've read   :)

[Torreya]

Hi Irnhed and welcome!
Love the sound of your chooks, we're unfortunately not allowed 'farm animals' as part of the tenancy, more's the pity.
How are the blueberries doing, and do you know the var's?  We grow 4 vars so far, mainly in pots so I can keep a better eye on the pH. Last year they were absolutely fantastic, just hope they haven't suffered too much from the winter!

Greetings again, and I agree totally with you, it's a great site and has got me 'out of my shell'.  It's difficult to shut me up now ;)

[cornykev]

I'm all for sticky  :P
Welcome guys and girls to A4A
Asylum 4 Allotmenteers
;D ;D ;D