Some gardening news...

If you're one of the tens of thousands of would-be veg gardeners waiting for the keys to an allotment, take heart: the National Trust handed over its 1000th plot this week.

The other 999 allotments, available via Landshare, have helped blow a hole in endless council waiting lists. But, the Trust warns, allotment land could be among casualties of the government's new planning proposals. It's joined the CPRE, RSPB and several other conservation groups in fighting the plans.

Plant conservation charity Plantlife is worried the shifting sands of the south Wales coast aren't shifting nearly enough. Artificial dune stabilisation and over-exuberant undergrowth has meant disaster for delicate coastal wildflowers, so they're stripping back the vegetation to get the sand moving again. At stake is the future of the super-rare fen orchid, now down to just 400 individuals.

Finally, more large and unlikely animals in the garden: this week's most bizarre photograph was the Swedish elk who got so drunk on fermenting apples it decided to climb the tree. The apple tree lost almost all its branches during the rescue: now that's what I call a garden pest.

Allotments

Allotment gardening is popular in the town with all of the three sites full. The council is researching and writing an allotments strategy to ensure they are supported and invested in, and to look at ways in which provision of plots can be increased.

The Eddington Lane site is an example of good practice with a very active and out going site association that has won prestigious national awards such as the Best in Britain, an award sponsored by the Kitchen Gardens Magazine and the National Allotments Gardens Trust. It has also won Digging for Victory competition run by the UK TV Gardens channel.

A wide variety of plants can be found on this site from fruit and vegetables, to heritage plants and spectacular roses. Every May the association hold a plant sale, and this year it was held on 22 May.

Members supply any surplus plants and the proceeds go towards the cost of an annual show. This is held on the last Saturday in August and has categories for vegetables, fruit, flowers, flower arranging, cookery and special children's entries. The show is open to all and members of the public are able to enter any category, with judging taking place and prizes awarded on the day. In June plots are judged in the local competition and the best six go forward to the county competition.

The association has won the Medway Trophy (for the highest aggregate score) every year since 1992 and one or other of the sites has won the Best Site category.

New allotments in Broomfield

Herne and Broomfield Parish Council have this year established a new allotment site next to the BMX track at Herne on land previously used as farm land. The site was set up as a response to local demand. An active site association has been formed to look after the site on a day to day basis, and there are about 50 full size plots available.

There are plenty of people that have taken up plots, and the site is well supported. Fencing is being improved sustainable water supply is being sourced, and on site storage for tools and supplies is being arranged.