We’re happy to announce our Grower of the Month for February 2021. @stephs_allotment loves growing using an eco-friendly ethos, and loves how gardening gives her a sense of achievement and peacefulness, among other things. Read on to find out how she started growing, what she loves to grow in her garden, her tips for other gardeners, her future plans, and much more.

How and when did you start gardening/growing?​

I started gardening and growing my own when I was 17. I had started a job in a garden centre as a till assistant. We were all given some seed potatoes which were covered in straggly, long shoots. I took my bag of seed potatoes home and planted them in the garden and instantly I had the bug! I was lucky that my parents have a large garden and there was already an un-used veg garden there. I got my first greenhouse when I was 18 and over the following 4 years, I added another 2 (all 3 were second hand freebies too!) My partner and I bought our first home together in 2015 which came with a tiny garden! Not much space for veg growing, however, in March 2019 I got my first allotment.

How has your garden changed since you first started growing?​

Our garden was a blank canvas when we moved into our new home 6 years ago. Just clay, rubble and the odd patch of soil. Every year we add something new, move something elsewhere and admire what we have created. We try to have interest year-round, following a cottage garden style planting. Because I have an allotment for veg growing the garden is mostly for plants and shrubs although I do have a greenhouse for starting my seeds and of course for housing tomatoes over the summer. We garden and grow using an eco-friendly ethos. We feed the birds and plant pollinator friendly plants. We also have a small wildlife pond which last year welcomed lots of frogs and we even had dragonflies!

What do you grow? Do you have a favourite plant/vegetable/crop, and why?​

I grow as much as I can squeeze onto my allotment. It’s probably easier to say what I don’t grow! I love growing tomatoes. The taste of warm tomatoes straight from the vine is what summer is all about. We are also huge garlic fans so always grow a full bed of autumn planting garlic. We use it in most meals and it stores so well too.