We have exchanged three allotments for one back garden. This has made us plan carefully. You can spread yourself over 3 x 25 rods' worth of ground, leave beds fallow, try out things that never stood an earthly chance - Florence fennel, cauliflowers, or neglect persisting problems. But tending your own backyard and spending your own money brings a different perspective.
Last week we purchased raspberry canes and rhubard from Myerscough College's plant shop. In order to fit in the canes, which came to ten when unbundled, we had to take out two climbing roses. We were ruthless. These had very little sign of new growth, whereas the rose by our front door, in its sheltered spot, is already budding.
The canes were planted in the sunniest spaces we could find to the correct depth according to the instructions on the label. The first time we came into possession of surplus raspberries I put them in deep in an exposed allotment bed under the mistaken impression that this would help them. It didn't.
That left the rhubarb. Our allotment rhubarb found itself in its proper spot on our second attempt, after languishing in a windy space for a season. Our new rhubarb went straight into a sheltered nook next to our shed, protected on two sides by shed and shrubs and also with plenty of sun.
Our 'herbacious border' raspberries are now standing up to the hail, sleet and occasional flurries of snow that characterise early March in the north west. Underneath, I noticed as we put them in, they were just starting to form their new growth. Like our blackcurrants and cooking apple they are Scottish, which is probably no bad thing.
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