Have you ever heard of allotment gardening? I was reading a fellow blogger's latest entries and found her talking about her allotment garden. Hmmm, I thought. What the heck is an allotment garden? So, I wrote and asked if she would give me the scoop. And she did. Jane defined allotments and cited a good reference link. I learned that allotments are areas of land owned by local councils and rented out to local residents in small parcels for a minimal annual fee. Jane's reference, Eynsham discusses the history of allotments and the Act from 1845 that made them possible.

I asked my husband if there was anything similar in the US and he told me there is something called "green gardens" that was most recently publicized during the Clinton administration. So I went searching and found a bunch of references to community gardens, including the Clinton community garden in New York. There are also the Portland community garden, the San Jose community garden, and the Idaho Falls community garden. I also found the American Community Gardening Association , a non-profit organization in New York that conducts educational programs, answers questions, and holds annual conferences.

Community gardens or allotments, whichever you choose to call them, serve a great purpose. Unfortunately, with all the development taking place throughout the United States it sure makes me wonder if there is any acreage available for "allotments." If anyone knows of other community gardens, tell me about it. I'd sure like to learn and share more. Happy Gardening!