More children are getting into gardening

Marketing strategist at the National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) Rakhi Arora said the type of person who enjoys tending to a plot has “changed dramatically” in recent times.

She said that the pastime is no longer associated with the flat cap and NSALG members are now from a broader age range.

“People are encouraging their children from a very small age to get involved – kids like to see where their food comes from and it teaches them as well,” she remarked.

Although a gardener has to be 18 years old before they can run an allotment, the increasing interest among youngsters bodes well for the future.

This comes as National Allotments Week is in full swing, with the initiative aimed at showcasing the hard work of those who nurture patches, while also giving people stuck on waiting lists the chance to encourage their local councils to make more land available