Finding a Place

Food can be grown in the smallest of spaces, so even if you have no garden, you can sprouts seeds, grow herbs on your windowsill or have some cut-and-come-again salad in a pot by the door.

But there comes a time when you want to grow more, and then you look for an allotment or to share a garden with someone else.

You may be able to find a garden to look after on the Lend and Tend website or the AllotMe website.

There are a number of allotment sites in the Reading area. The majority are run by Reading Council and you can apply for one on their site: Allotments. In January 2023, the council issued an Allotments Self Management Update and have subsequently changed the rules on priorities for getting an allotment.

Other allotment sites are run by Earley Town Council (details on their Allotments page), Shinfield Parish Council (details on their Allotments page), Tilehurst Allotments (details on their website), Winnersh Parish Council (details on their Allotments page) and Woodley Town Council (application form on their Allotments page).

If you feel that growing on your own is a little daunting, and would like some company while you work and some knowledgeable people around to learn from, then look for a community garden near you: Oxford Road Community Garden, Lavender Place Community Gardens, Katesgrove Community Allotment, Erleigh Road Community Garden, Whitley GrowAllot and Southcote GrowAllot all have drop-in work sessions.

For a national round-up of allotment sites, visit the WhatShed.co.uk National Allotment Survey.