Topic: any advice would be greatly appreciated

[picman]

Our site has had experience of a 'designer' ( the reason for my initial ...oh dear' post)  We had some funds towards some disabled raised beds and approached the council for assistance as they are under an obligation to provided if a need was identified, they declared they could find some funds (2006) , and proceeded to set to with a designer.... The result some thought to be a joke, but turned out to be a waste of time and taxpayers money... the design included , a cranberry wetland... a butterfly garden, a nut hedge , pear trees in the car-park, along with other un-workable stuff, oh ..and a couple of raised beds, (new sleepers). our membership turned it down. on grounds of cost, maintenance and being inappropriate for an allotment, we asked for a sows ear and got a silk purse...we eventually got a grant and did-it-ourselves. In general I would suggest an area that could be improved nationwide would be provision of a (secure ) site hut / meeting room  with facilities .           

[Bugloss2009]

a cranberry wetland  ;D

[Digeroo]

Have been thinking about the allotment of the future, have you seen the zoo I think it pay be paignton who have an amazing system of plants on mini paternoster type system to grow greens.

I also want a house with glass on the south facing roof so I can have a growing space up there.   We are wasting a lot of potential growing space.

[1066]

Hi catherton2 welcome and good luck with your project. Have you checked out alltments in the Netherlands, lots of them have huts where people go and spend the weekend and tend their garden?

re veg that I'd want to grow but can't cos we're in the UK - basically the main problem(as I see it) is low light levels in winter (think latitude), or veg that needs a long growing season, you can do it but its a struggle. So maybe think about how you could extend the growing season

[catherton2]

sorry for the absence with it being the easter holiday i went back home and with a bit of spare time i decided to get overtime at work earn a bit of spenidng money. The project is progressing nicely gonna have another review on tuesday and thursday next week. And hopefully i shall get some news that im on the right track. Thank you for all the information had a spare hour this morning so i went though it all! if i get chance before mydeadlines ill try n scan some drawings in t get your feed back of plans!

cheers again guys you have been a massive help overall!

chris

[1066]

would love to see the plans  :)

[Ian Pearson]

Hi Catherton2
Brainstorming:
* A secure boundary system (anti-climb) that also can be planted with productive crops (living wall fencing kind of thing). Could have integral irrigation system.
* A stand-alone off-grid climate-controlled module where tenants can leave surplus seedlings/seeds/produce for others to use. A sort of posh cool-box. Maybe combined with notice board
* Off grid modular transportable building system.
*Eco frost protection - device collects and concentrates passive heat, then when it senses frost, releases it to create a mini heat island.
*Street lamp-sized growlights on each plot. With a webcam built in.

Better stop now- it's getting mad ;D

[catherton2]

just submitted the work this morning for my tutors to go though i have my meeting later in the day where they will give their oppintions, i took on board all ideas for the indervidual green house/allotments. We will see what they think, one system i went for was a modified roof pond which iv changed to deal with britsh weather. If i designed it right it should provide more heat to the green house plus water vapour to transform the space into a more tropical climate.

ill let you all know how the review goes and wat they consider changing!

cheers again guy you have been a great help :)

[OberonUK]

Don't forget availability of water - irrigation, conservation and transportation - that in itself could occupy all your attention.

Also, and I guess this does not apply to every site but certainly is a consideration for many, remember parking and access. If people are more than a few hundred yards away they will probably need access with a car and maybe a trailer, plus somewhere to park.

I suppose you could look at communal composting though, with an area where everyone adds their garden waste to a central pile, it can be turned in one go (maybe with a machine) and everyone gets some of the finished product. But that would again homogenise the process which is probably varied between plot owners. I just thought that water, garden waste, parking and compost are all pretty vital and common to all/most plot holders.

[1066]

communal composting is an interesting idea, as the larger the pile the more heat is generated. But then I guess you need to follow that up with how to manage it!

[chriscross1966]

Don't forget availability of water - irrigation, conservation and transportation - that in itself could occupy all your attention.

Also, and I guess this does not apply to every site but certainly is a consideration for many, remember parking and access. If people are more than a few hundred yards away they will probably need access with a car and maybe a trailer, plus somewhere to park.

Remember that folks wanting to get a decently sized rotavator and a ton or two of manure will be driving a long-wheelbase Transit towing a graked trailer the size of a horsebox.... that's wht will need to get through the entrance.... the entrance at my plot is so tight I have to swing out onto the verge on the opposite side, disconnect the trailer, two-point turn to get my nose into the gate, reattach the trailer and then drive on.... I always use a lot of verge on the way out too..... If the gate was a foot wider adn they'd indented it a foot or so (not hard with what they made ot from) then none of thiis would be neccessary....

[non-stick]

Dunno about Catherine but I've really enjoyed reading this thread.

Thanks - and good luck with the assignment

[catherton2]

right guys n gals i finished and handed the final work in on friday the 13th which is a bit unlucky, but  iv received the email confirming a pass woop woop, i got a 2.1 which is kinda like a B, realy couldn't of completed the work to the level i did without your help, your all amazing some of the ideas you gave realy gave me somthing to research into which is never a bad thing. I went in to take my work down off the board so i took a picture before so im gonna try n work out how to post it but i havent got a clue so ill look into it, again thank you you have been a massive help and i love you all  ;)

[Unwashed]

Thanks catherton2, and best of luck to you.

[1066]

congrats on the 2:1  8)

you can load photos to the likes of photobucket, and post links here  :)

[pigeonseed]

Well done - it's because you took the trouble to do some research, you deserve it.

[lincsyokel2]

a cranberry wetland  ;D

I lolled at that too, reminded me of Granpa Simpson, "forty years as a night watchman in a cranberry silo"