Roots Allotments is growing gardening knowledge in Nottingham (and beyond)
We speak to the founders of Nottingham's newest allotment about planting seeds in Ruddington and the benefits of growing your own produce...
Nottingham has an ever-growing green scene, which is bursting with knowledgeable people and thoughtful events. The latest addition to this is Roots Allotments, which has just opened up a site in Ruddington.
We spoke with two of Roots’ founders, Ed Morrison and Christian Samuel, to find out why they’ve set up a site here in Notts and the benefits of growing your own vegetables, rather than just buying them from the supermarket. Christian is from Nottingham and Ed’s mum grew up in Ruddington, so they both have strong connections to the area.
For those looking for things to do in Nottingham that will help improve mental and physical well-being, giving gardening a go could be fun and fulfilling. Plus, if you do feel inspired, you can get a plot on the Roots Allotments site and use the code NOTTSEDIT25 for a 25% discount code.
“We need these areas of tranquillity, healing and peace” — Roots Allotments on its new plot in Notts
By Eve Smallman
I’ve been growing my own radishes in my garden this year and it has fast become my favourite hobby. The feeling of dirt under my nails, the sound of water sprinkling over them, and the satisfaction of doing something really tangible has been very special to me.
Okay, granted — I’ve grown one radish successfully. But this has been my first growing attempt and I’m working with a small space.
I have been wondering how I can expand my vegetable patch and glow up my green thumbs — and I think the answer has just opened up in Ruddington. Of course, there are council-owned allotment spaces across Nottinghamshire, but they are high in demand and it can take years to get to the top of the waiting list. This is the case across the country and is why founders Ed Morrison, Christian Samuel, and Will Gay came up with the idea for Roots Allotments.
“I moved back in with my grandma during lockdown, where there were queues outside the supermarket, and I asked her what she’d do if she couldn’t get any food tomorrow and she didn’t have an answers” says Ed. After reading about the no dig method of gardening — which is all about supporting the existing soil structure, nurturing it with compost, and not using chemicals — he decided to put it into action, growing vegetables and discovering a new love for the outdoors.
When he moved back to London and wanted to carry on doing this with his friends Will and Christian, he quickly found out there was a 28-year waiting list there. So, with his gardening know-how and Christian’s entrepreneurial skills, they pulled together and created Roots.
The Ruddington site is the seventh, with other successful spots in Bath, Leeds, and Stourbridge. Ed says, “There is something really special about Nottingham. You have St. Ann’s Allotments which are some of the oldest in the country and it’s a place that’s proud of its horticultural heritage.” He also tells me that the compost here is very good quality here compared to many other places.
“In a world with social media where everyone is chasing perfection, gardening is such a lovely thing to do.”
The idea is simple — from just £9.99 a month (the price goes up depending on plot size) you get your own allotment area. While this is more than a council-owned plot, you do get the guarantee of space quickly. Along with this, if you do end up moving out of Notts, you can transfer to another Roots Allotments site easily, without the hassle of going back on a long waitlist.
You also get all the info and tools you need to get started and become part of a community where you can nurture your knowledge. “We give people a welcome slot where they come to the site, a 45-minute induction where we talk to them about the no dig method and 101 gardening principles, then they literally choose their patch and put in their first seeds,” Ed explains.
Unlike a council plot where you might put in all the weeding, digging, and planting work, then have your plants fail and feel disappointed, you get hands-on advice that will help keep you motivated and help you get your plants to grow properly. There’s on-site help, WhatsApp groups, courses on the website, and an email where you can ask specific questions if you aren't feeling confident.
I’ve just been Googling answers to my radish woes and have come up with nothing of use, so when Ed starts talking about the kinds of vegetables you can grow and radishes come up, I immediately jump in and ask for advice. When he tells me that I might need to start again, I think he senses my apprehension.
“Gardening is an amazing thing because it humbles you — you are going to have to learn to embrace your failures and overcome them,” Ed says. “In a world with social media where everyone is chasing perfection, gardening is such a lovely thing to do as you can just say, ‘yes that failed, but I can just try again’ — and that's the best attitude to life, isn't it?” This, on top of all the other inspiring benefits of gardening I learned from our chat, made me come away feeling ready to get planting again.
Sure, you can go into the supermarket and grab your own vegetables — but there are so many reasons not to do this. “If you buy a bag of spinach or lettuce from here, it has been in that bag for seven days,” says Ed. “Some spinach and lettuce varieties lose 90% of their nutrients within 24 hours of being picked, so you're eating something that's not going to do any good.” This is a stat that shocks me and makes me think of the browning salad bag in my fridge that has been off pretty much since I bought it.
“When you stick your hands in soil, you release serotonin. That's how amazing this stuff is for us.”
But, it’s not just the physical benefits that are brilliant. “The average UK adult spends around 15 minutes outside each day. When you look at the mental health crisis going on, we need more people going outside, not being locked indoors,” Ed continues. “When you stick your hands in soil, you release serotonin. That's how amazing this stuff is for us.”
Going out and meeting people is also a brilliant part of the allotment-growing community. “During COVID we lost a lot of social interaction, and some of our members say they’ve not made any new friends since COVID, but have now formed new connections,” Ed says.
He continues, “That's what I love about it. It's like you walk down any UK high street, you look someone in the eye, and they'll look straight down the pavement — but you walk around any allotment space, and there will be laughter and friendship. When you look around at how chaotic the world is, we need these areas of tranquillity, healing and peace.”
“We want to change the narrative, make gardening super easy and accessible, and give people the opportunity to do it whenever they want.”
This positivity has already started to blossom in the Nottingham site, even though this sapling has only just started growing. “I was surprised how many people came so quickly — it was like they’d been waiting for it to arrive,” says Ruddington site manager Nat Hurst. “They've got their tools, they've got access to everything they need, and they can just thrive straightaway.”
“We want to change the narrative, make gardening super easy and accessible, and give people the opportunity to do it whenever they want,” adds Christian. Ed agrees, adding that they also work with charities and businesses to get involved in the sites. “We're breaking down lots of barriers to growing.” He also says that they’re looking for a Nottingham charity partner for surplus goods, so do get in touch with them if you can help with this.
If you want to try out Roots for yourself, it’s easy to get stuck in. “Just come to the space, chat with Nat, meet people in it, and I’m sure you’ll want to grow with us. But even if you don’t and end up growing elsewhere, at least we’ve hopefully helped you on your gardening journey,” Ed says.
Personally, I leave our conversation feeling ready to face my radishes and to try again to make them work. Because that feeling of pulling that one great one out, chopping it up, and serving it on a plate? It was the most proud I’d felt for a good while.
Find out more at rootsallotments.com and use code NOTTSEDIT25 for a 25% discount on your first year.
🤳 Keep up with us on socials on Instagram and TikTok
✉️ Send stories such as press releases and feature ideas to editor@thenottsedit.com
💰 Want to feature your business in The Notts Edit? Email Eve Smallman at editor@thenottsedit.com for a chat
☕ Enjoying our content? Buy us a coffee on Ko-Fi