IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Future of Ruddington Allotment:
A Search for a New Sanctuary
We would like to apologise to our followers for the lack of updates this year. We have been dedicating all of our energy protecting and maintaining our 2 plots, plus clearing and beginning to build our new 2-month-old third plot, despite the increasing challenges posed by the management (or lack of) at ROOTS Allotments.
The State of the Site vs. Our Standards
As the photos below demonstrate, there is a stark contrast between our productive, professionally maintained plots and the communal areas of the ROOTS site. While we are in our 3rd year of financial investment and physical labour, spending thousands of pounds on soil and countless hours of hard work, the site management has allowed communal areas to become a jungle of waist-high thistles-a direct hazard to children and a failure of their duty of care.
Notice of Retaliatory Eviction
Regrettably, after filing a formal complaint regarding disability discrimination and the total lack of contracted services (running water/on-site shelter/soil deliveries), we were served a 30-day notice of termination.
We believe this is a clear act of victimisation.
While we are challenging this legally, we have decided that our 'expert' standards no longer align with the neglectful management of this company.
Seeking a New Home
We are now looking for a new location to relocate our "Ruddington Allotment" brand.
If you know of a site, a local farm, or a community space that values professional-grade allotment gardening, security and integrity, please get in touch.
We will not let our hard work go to waste. We are moving forward, on our terms, and taking our expertise to a place that appreciates it.
The Ruddington Allotment Team
Timeline of neglect
We kept our promise. ROOTS did not. Here is the transformation of Ruddington Fields from a managed allotment site to a hazardous wasteland (2024-2026), leaving paying tenants like Ruddington Allotment at significant risk of:
- FIRE - Dry, waist-high weeds are a serious fire risk in summer
- Safety Hazards - We literally cannot see the ground, which is dangerously uneven, and strewn with abandoned and broken infrastructure-dangerous for anyone with full mobility but a potentially fatal navigational nightmare for the physically impaired and young children
- Pest Infestation - This level of negligent overgrowth is a haven for pests that will inevitably migrate to healthy crops
These images are truly shocking, and the ultimate indictment of ROOTS' management, and proof of the company's failure
THANK YOU!
First of all, we at Ruddington Allotment would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support we have received since our announcement, with special thanks to our immediate plot neighbours for their kind words and requests to "please stay", we love you guys too!
The Theatre of Maintenance vs. The Reality of Neglect
While we continue to wait for a response to our formal legal requests regarding disability adjustments, ROOTS management appears to be 'doubling down' on their attempt to evict us.
The Latest Demands
Despite our plots being full of thriving, established crops, the CEO is demanding that we immediately remove our hothouse. To destroy a functioning growing environment in the middle of the season is not the act of a company that "puts growers first". They are also demanding the removal of our temporary shelters-structures that provide vital shade and which our neighbours have confirmed are absolutely not an eyesore.
Anonymous Myths vs. Real Neighbours
The CEO continues to cite "further anonymous complaints" over the weekend. However, our reality on the ground is the opposite. Every adjacent neighbour we have spoken to has offered us nothing but praise and support, with some contacting ROOTS directly to protest our eviction.
If these "complaints" exist, they certainly aren't coming from the people who actually see our plots or grow near us.
Selective Mowing
The management team spent their bank holiday mowing the hedge line at the far, inactive end of the site where nobody has a plot. Meanwhile, the paths leading to active, paying members' plots remain a 14-inch high 'jungle' of thistles and grass.
While we manually hand-trim our neighbours' boundaries to ensure they can access their plots, ROOTS is busy 'window dressing' empty corners.
We will not be bullied into destroying our crops or our infrastructure while this site remains a hazardous wilderness. We stand by our neighbours, and we stand by our integrity.
The Ruddington Allotment Team
Welcome to Ruddington Allotment!
Discover who we are and what drives us!
Ruddington Allotment represents neurodiversity in allotment gardening!
We are based at Roots Allotments in Ruddington, Nottingham.
We follow a chemical-free, no-dig, natural approach to growing your own food.
Join us on our growing journey!
Meet our passionate growers
At Ruddington Allotment, we take immense pride in our vibrant community of growers. Our allotment space in Nottingham is not just about cultivating plants; it's about nurturing connections and fostering inclusivity. We welcome individuals with diverse abilities, including those on the autism spectrum and individuals with ADHD, creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive through the joy of natural gardening. Our growers are dedicated to the grow-your-own movement, embracing sustainable practices that not only enhance their gardening skills but also promote mindfulness and well-being. Join us as we celebrate our growers, who are transforming patches of soil into flourishing gardens filled with love, laughter, and the rewards of hard work.
How it started...
In the early days of their personal allotment journey, Buffy discovered Roots Allotments, a new concept in allotment holding. Rather than strict rules and closed off spaces, Roots was open plan, with ready to go plots, all the tools onsite, and seeds provided. With enthusiasm and a vision Buffy secured a double plot, and with Khonen set to work and planted their first seeds! As they nurtured their plot, the excitement of watching their first plantings flourish filled their hearts with joy. The allotment became not just a space for growing vegetables but a sanctuary for friendship, laughter, and the simple pleasure of connecting with nature.
Growing together in 2025...
Continuing our journey at Ruddington Allotment
As we look towards 2025, the allotment scene is bursting with potential for growth and diversity. This year, we are experimenting with growing:
- Cabbages / Romanesco cauliflower / Kohlrabi
- Kale / Chard,
- French beans / Runner beans / Peas
- Carrots / Parsnips / Swede
- Courgettes / Squash
- Cucumber / Gherkin / Tomatillo
- With vibrant flowers among the beds to attract pollinators!
Follow us throughout the year with regular photo updates!
Happy growing in 2025!
