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You are here: Home Life in Blogs & photos Have I lost the plot?! My Swiss garden plot

12/06/2009Have I lost the plot?! My Swiss garden plot

Beds Our blogger Jessica finally gets her own piece of Swiss heaven.

You know these places on the side of the road that look like shanty towns? Lots of little shacks all together in a row with a few plants? Well, did you know that they are actually gardens? In the UK they call these little gardens "allotments" and they became very popular during war times to promote self-sufficiency. But now, because most people live in apartments there is not a lot of land for gardening around the apartment complexes. So you can rent a bit of land to garden on... and this concept is also über popular in Switzerland.

And, well, guess what? This one here... yes, this plot of dirt... it's MINE! ALL MINE. Don't laugh. I know you want one deep down, too. I actually signed up for one of these plots last July and went on a waiting list. I thought no one would ever leave since these are pretty highly sought after (by retirees and families mainly), but thankfully I got the notice in February and I started planning the space immediately. The plots are managed by the local ‘Gartenverein’, or Gardening Club, and it really is quite an active, interesting community.

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The plot is 16 metres by 6 metres. And to be honest, it feels absolutely HUGE! I thought it would be way smaller and I am a bit more ambitious now with all this space. I also get the shed that is on it and some tools that were left by the previous plot holder for the bargain price of CHF 100. And let's face it - that rocks as I doubt I could get one tool for that price at Bauhaus.

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