RHS Half Hour Allotment: Timely Tips for the Most Productive Plot Ever

by Royal Horticultural Society, Lia Leendertz

The Royal Horticultural Society The Half Hour Allotment (first published in 2005) has been a best-selling gardening title for Frances Lincoln and the Royal Horticultural Society for many years. This new edition re-presents the classic in a fresh new illustrated format with hundreds of new photographs and a bright new design. The book explains the philosophy of spending half an hour each day on the allotment in order to produce something to harvest and eat every day. This tried-and-tested formula is clearly explained with weekly work plans and time-efficient solutions for busy gardeners who want to spend every moment preciously. It outlines the best crops to grow, the best varieties within each crop, and shows how to arrange and equip your allotment so that it is a place of interest for you, your family and visiting wildlife. Lia Leendertz is an organic gardener with a great sensitivity for the environment so the book is a gentle and thoughtful read as well as being a bible for productive and time-starved gardeners.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861. The Royal Horticultural Society is one of the world’s leading horticultural organizations and the UK's leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting gardening.

Vital to the protection of plants, gardens and green spaces for future generations, the RHS helps over two million school children get into gardening and supports more than 1,700 communities to create their own gardens, encouraging people to grow their own food.

The charity also promotes horticulture through world-renowned flowers shows such as the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the Tatton Park Flower Show and the Cardiff Flower Show. These shows exhibit the best in horticulture by providing show gardens, floral marques and expert advice.

In 2004 the society celebrated its bicentenary reflecting all the achievements of the RHS to date.

Reviews

[Nigeyb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've recently got an allotment and so took RHS Half Hour Allotment: Extraordinary crops from every day efforts by Lia Leenderts out of the libary.

It's exellent.

As a primer for the novice it is clear, inspiring, full of beautiful photos and, so useful, that I have ordered a copy to keep as a reference.

4/5

[K8 U · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this book is fairly realistic in terms of what you can actually achieve in 30 minutes each day Monday to Friday at the allotment.
It’s not the book for someone aiming to be ‘self-sufficient’, but someone with limited time and wishing to get the best ‘value’ out of that time.
In some ways I wish I had read this when I began my allotment journey. Buying plug plants (rather than trying to grow everything from seed in modules indoors), taking on a smaller plot and growing a relatively small number of different vegetables, training fruit trees and bushes so they take up minimum space - all would have helped me feel less overwhelmed and more successful. But I’ve learned from my mistakes…maybe.

[Jan Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good once it gets going but spends too long in the opening chapters stating the flippin' obvious

[Birgitta Hoffmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy introduction into allotments and how to start them off.