Local, fresh and grown as you choose – producing and eating your own fruit and vegetables are the star attractions of growing your own.

As well as being healthy and environmentally responsible (think of the food miles you will be saving), Growing your own entails a myriad of other benefits such as exercise, fresh air, the social element that goes with allotment gardening, a gratifying sense of achievement and, of course, the cost savings.

What could be more satisfying than producing lunch that includes delicious home-grown salad leaves, tiny new potatoes with freshly chopped herbs, a bowl of sun-warm cherry tomatoes and then newly plucked strawberries? Or giving a friend a jar of home-made blackcurrant jelly or tucking into rhubarb crumble made with fruit picked from your own plot?

All this and more is just weeks away with one of our Grow Your Own plots. The secret to success lies in being organised and keeping on top of your gardening tasks. Gardening is not rocket science, but it does require a little basic knowledge. Whether you are a beginner or an expert gardener, there is plenty of help and advice available, from us at the garden centre, from friends, neighbours and fellow gardeners and from the countless books and websites on allotment gardening. None of us was born knowing how to chit a potato or propagate a strawberry plant, so never be afraid to ask.

Each plot measures approximately 90m2 – it is therefore a manageable size but large enough to be really productive.

The soil is prepared by us and ready to go – and grow. All you need to do is decide what to grow, plant it and then watch, wait, weed and water.

All plots come with a composter and access to a water trough. If you choose, you can also have a greenhouse or shed and a water butt to catch rainwater. The rent for a basic plot is £5 a week, for one with a greenhouse and shed with a water butt, the rent is £10 a week.

All our sites are surrounded by secure rabbit proof fencing.

At every site you will have access to all the centre facilities including toilets and restaurants, as well as a convenient on-the-doorstep supply of seeds, plants, tools, sundries and everything else you could possibly need for your plot.

We supply you with a complimentary starter kit that includes a whole host of goodies to help get you underway. These include seeds, vegetable bulbs, a discount voucher for buying new tools at the garden centre, free Gardman products (twine, netting, labels, canes), the Gardeners’ World First Time Veg Grower book, a Grow Your Own planning work book and a variety of other useful items.

Help and advice is always available from our friendly and helpful staff, all of whom are horticultural experts who like nothing better than dispensing good practical advice to expert and amateur gardeners alike.

We are hoping to organise a system whereby plot holders can swap their produce come the late summer months when even the most efficient gardeners can find themselves contemplating a glut. We are also hoping to organise a Harvest Lunch and various competitions along the way, to develop the social side of life.

If you are interested in renting a plot, please download and complete an application form and take it to your local Garden Centre.

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