Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9959 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-02
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Guardian
'Shelton simply and inspiringly shows how quickly you can leap from total incompetence to harvesting your first radishes.'

Daily Telegraph
'The redemptive power of growing veg is the theme here as Shelton
cultivates his way back from a failed marriage'

Synopsis
Robin Shelton and his mate Steve were complete neophytes when they decided that having an allotment might save them a bit of money. But what had seemed like a good idea over a couple of beers seemed rather more daunting when faced with a weedy patch of ground. Still, both men were at a crisis point in their lives and the allotment represented their desire to achieve something concrete. They persevered and, despite the weather and confusing advice from their elderly allotment neighbours, managed to plant and grow a successful crop of vegetables. As he writes about their year in the allotment, Robin describes his own personal journey. When he takes the allotment on he is divorced, broke and suffering from depression.Working on the allotment brings back happy memories of his father, who died when Robin was sixteen, and also draws him closer to his own two sons. Gradually Robin finds stability and a sense of purpose in his life. His and Steve's tale is funny, moving and enlightening - a book for anyone who's ever bitten off more than they can chew, but muddled through anyway.

'Their struggle to plant their crops against the baffling advice of fellow allotment holders is funny and moving. Our heroes finish the year wiser, saner and with an impressive array of veg' - "Daily Express". 'A comforting antidote to the glossy perfection of gardening on the telly' - "Evening Standard".

Customer Reviews

Not a manual - but really really funny
If you want a 'how to' guide for your veg this isnt it - but if you want to laugh out loud every couple of pages (and perhaps indirectly learn a fair amount about allotment gardening) then this is the book for you. Funny first, heart warming and life affirming next and then informative, this is a great read and a book i will return to again and again.

Occupational therapy in it's purest form
Robin Shelton is living confirmation of the therapeutic benefits of activity.
This book is written in a very reader-friendly form and is more enjoyable than any number of academic research papers that evidence what Robin Shelton proved for himself.
If there weren't such a shortage of allotments in this country there would be fewer people suffering from depression!

ALLOTTED TIME A TRULY GREAT READ
You must read this book if you have or are thinking about getting a plot of your own. As an inexperienced fairly new plot holder myself it was great to read an honest account of another new plot holders experiences. We all have to start somewhere! You are guaranteed a good laugh reading this book and i doubt you will be able to put it down once you start reading it. Totally enjoyable and funny read i hope Robin Shelton writes a follow up to this one.