On The Surface
As returning visitors will notice, I have chosen a new design for the blog. The reason is twofold: I like the readability of this presentation better than the previous; and I like the graphic at the top.
The header reminds me of the surface of Plot 32 right now: various things sprouting speedily and at random, most of them completely unidentifiable (I have further confessions to make at this point: I wouldn’t know the top of an infant carrot from the top of an infant weed. See my “First Seedings” post for why this is not a good thing).
Art Meeting Science Meeting Nature
My lettuce has sprouted in two crooked, clumpy rows. That’s the good news — half of the tomato plants are barely standing upright, the green fading to yellow on some of the leaves, and in the rest of my garden nothing else but the odd blade of grass and thistle has poked a stem above the surface. The signs of life in Plot 32 are not encouraging: about what you would expect given the level of expertise with which I began.
On the other hand, there are gorgeous signs of life in most of the other allotments. Gardens that are as much art as science, both executed brilliantly.
I would like to introduce you to Plot 16. 
It belongs to John, whom I had the pleasure of meeting on my way out of the gardens one evening (you have to walk past Plot 16 on your way in or out of the allotments). John’s garden is (a) built up with deep, weed-free, well-composted soil; (b) laid out in squares for easy access to the plants, interspersed with planks where people can walk without disturbing the soil; and (c) lovely to look at, with its architectural precision, colourful plant markers and even marigolds in the corners.
The marigolds, apparently, have a scientific purpose: they attract the kind of insects, John tells me, that will prevent other insects from eating the vegetables. Brilliant pesticide-free technique. But the science is beautiful to look at as a bonus.
So this is how it’s supposed to be done!
John not only was gracious enough to visit this blog (see the comments below from “The Serf”), but generously gave me the title of a book that he used as a resource when he was getting started: Square Foot Gardening. Its subtitle is something about how to garden “in less space with less work”, but I have to tell you, from the way that Plot 16 looks, I think John has put in a huge amount of work!
My Dad would read seed catalogues in the winter. I will have to read that book.
