On a very warm and sunny Sunday morning a small, socially distanced group gathered for the Pumpkin Competition weigh-in and awards presentation. Jem stepped in as judge for Ben Wilkins who wasn’t able to make it at the last moment.

There was one outright winner and a very intriguing entry that was the clear ‘People’s Pumpkin’ winner!

Progress so far

The newsletter of the Royal Paddocks Allotments was published continuously from 1998 to 2015 and a complete set of archive issues is now available here on this website.

The Plotholder made its first appearance in June 1998 as three sides of plain type with no illustrations…

Let’s hear it for all those self seeders! At the beginning of this year’s growing season, in spring when we were preparing the plot my partner and I had a ‘discussion’ about the large drifts of limnanthes that I was intent on growing in a prime bean location. Eventually, when they flowered profusely and were covered with humming hoverflies he admitted that these self-seeders have their uses!

We have set up an online forum so plotholders can continue to chat with each other and exchange news, views, advice, arrange seed and plant swaps, etc.