Everybody is growing.

People had to die before they were given allotments. After the last enclosure acts, so much land was taken form the poor, they had nowhere to plant their crops, and starved to death. In the end the thieving elite gave back 2000 acres for the poor to grow on.

Allotment still produce food, but not to the same scale, as the plots are so much smaller. There is a greater feel of the homegrown, then self-sufficiency.

The modern allotment varies greatly from one place to another: size, rules, ownership and freedom to express yourself. At Colchester Road allotments which are in Cardiff, there is a lots expression going on, from the crops grown, to the structures that are built, to the types of materials which are recycled.

This is a year long self-initiated project to categorise and record parts of the process of this allotment.

Allotment information.

Colchester Avenue Allotments are located in Cardiff’s Penylan ward on the east side of the Welsh capital. It is the second largest allotment site in Cardiff with 6.6 hectares [16 acres] divided into more than 300 plots. The site is south facing, is suitable for growing a wide range of fruit and veg, has a mains water supply and a shop run by volunteers.

The Colchester Avenue Allotments Association (CAAA) runs the allotments under a local management agreement with the landlord, Cardiff City Council. Find out more at our website About Us – Colchester Avenue Allotment Association (caaa.wales) or contact us at colchesteravenueaa@gmail.com.