The Allotments

Photographer Denise Maxwell documented local people in their Wednesbury allotments during lockdown; the photographs below were taken at Woden Road, Friar Park Road and Barlow Road Allotments.

“[Having an allotment] is therapeutic for me, I can just forget the world, with everything going on, I can still go to the allotment and do what I need to do. I can forget myself. You are at least 50 yards or more away from anyone so there is no risk. […] I grow green beans, I mostly go for things we eat regularly, french beans, potatoes, parsnips, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli. We grow for the table, what we eat. So we will harvest it all, eat what we can fresh and freeze the rest. It’s better knowing it’s all been freshly grown.

I got into gardening through my dad, he used to love his garden, dad won awards in Coventry for the best kept garden. So it wasn’t growing in the same way, but I saw him grow flowers from bulbs and plant beds. When I got my allotment, it wasn’t just an allotment, I wanted it to be good and make it look presentable. Dad was into flowers, and wild flowers, rather than veg.” – Dave Collins

ⓘ To see more, and to read captions, click on the photographs.

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