Roots Allotments – A growing movement

“It all started with a bit of a breakdown,” Ed laughs. “Life in London just wasn’t working. Work wasn’t clicking. I wasn’t clicking. I felt totally unaligned.” 

That inner misalignment sparked a big move, Ed left everything behind and moved back to his family home in Dorset. “I was lost, honestly,” he says. “But I ended up going to a community growing talk in my local village hall. Charles Dowding was speaking. I didn’t even know who he was at the time. I sat there for an hour and a half, took loads of notes, and suddenly, it all just made sense.” 

Supermarkets, Seeds & a Spark 

Then came the lockdown. The world went mad. “I remember watching people fight over toilet rolls in the supermarket,” Ed recalls. “I thought – what happens if the food runs out next? What then, how can I ensure a steady supply of vegetables and fruit?” 

He rang his nan. “I told her I wanted to grow food. She reminded me that we’d all tried it once when I was 10, and nothing grew. We gave up after one summer.” Ed shrugs. “But something told me to try anyway.”   

Ed was given a patch of land in his Nan’s garden, he had never grown a thing in his life. Never sown a seed but he decided to go for it. “I tried no-dig because of what Charles had said. Within two months I was eating my own veg. It was mind-blowing.” 

The Allotment Epiphany 

After lockdown, Ed was hanging out with his mates Will and Chris. “We started talking about getting an allotment. Turns out, the waiting list was 28 years. I was 28 at the time, it was depressing.”  

So instead of waiting nearly three decades, they came up with an idea: what if they created supported, accessible growing spaces for people who’d never grown before, who didn’t know where to start but wanted to learn and wanted the connection and community that is often missing today. 

They planned to offer a full-service plot—seeds, plug plants, tools, workshops, everything you need to get growing, everything to support the busy lifestyles we all lead today. As Will is from a farming family, they had immediate access to a plot of land to start their dream. The first site sold out in two months.” 

From Fields of Oats to Fields of Dreams 

Four growing seasons later, that original idea has bloomed into something far bigger.  An example is of one of the fields which had only ever grown oats.  Ed’s team left it, didn’t plough it and went no-dig. There was a 220% increase in biodiversity in the first year,” Ed says.  Such encouraging results and a driving force to keep going and continue to make the changes that are so desperately needed to support biodiversity and our environment.  

“I’ve grown over £1000 worth of food in my thirty six metre square plot. It’s not just about veg, it’s about people coming together. The conversations, the connections… something happens when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder pulling up weeds.” explains Ed 

There are now over 150 acres of land across the UK involved in the project. Future plans include wildflower meadows, fruit orchards, native hedgerows, and a commitment to ten-year land stewardship. Even the frogs have a home, laughs Ed. “We’ve started adding mini ponds to the plots—Belfast sinks, old bathtubs, you name it.  Within weeks, we had frogspawn.” 

Fairness for Farmers, Access for All 

At the heart of Ed’s mission is a desire to rebuild the relationship between farmers and communities. He goes on to say,  “We want to help farmers diversify sustainably and earn a fair price for their land. Our model can offer them three to four times the revenue compared to traditional crops.” 

But Ed’s quick to stress it’s not about pushing farmers out, it’s about working with them. “They stay on the land, they stay close to the community. There’s always a preference for the farmer’s way. We just want to make space for more people to get involved.” It’s working. Particularly up north. The Northern sites are slowly becoming the strongest spaces..

People want this, it’s the missing link to a place to grow, connect, and just breathe. 

Soil, Serotonin & Garlic Scapes 

There’s a lot of talk in Ed’s world about mental health and nature. “For two years, when I was growing constantly, my mental health was the best it had ever been. There’s something about the fresh air, the rhythm of the seasons… even the act of watering. It slows you down.” he says 

A gem of information from Ed was finding out about  “Garlic scapes.”.  “They’re these beautiful curly flower stalks that come off hardneck garlic. You can pick them before the bulb swells and cook them like green beans. They’re delicious” he smiles as he lets me into this secret I knew nothing about prior to our meeting but have since planted and am watching patiently for any signs of growth.  

The Bigger Picture 

Ed isn’t stopping at a few community plots. His dream? A thousand growing communities in the next ten years. A space where people leave their egos and opinions at the gate. “Once you’re on the plot, it’s not about politics or status or what you do for a living. It’s about soil, seedlings, and what’s sprouting next to your neighbour’s carrots.”  I couldn’t agree more with Ed.  

Charles Dowding, the king of the no dig revolution and the inspiration that got Ed growing initially, remembers Ed well. “He signed my calendar,” Ed grins.  “Said he remembered chatting to me before lockdown. Apparently, I was the last one he spoke to at a talk before the world shut down. That meant a lot.”    

Look at What You Can Do With a Piece of Land 

As we finish up our chat, Ed gazes out across the growing site. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? There’s something really beautiful about what people can create together when you just give them the space and the tools.”   From city burnout to garlic-growing guru, Ed’s journey proves something simple but profound:     Give someone a patch of soil and they might just grow a whole new life. 

What has Roots given me? 

After signing up in the summer, taking a leap of faith and going with my heart instead of the usual thinking about it for far too long, I can say, without doubt that my little plot has been life changing.   The summer was the perfect time, the days were long and the sun shone endlessly.  I set about planning my plot – what could I grow now and what did I need to prepare for next spring. With the constant support, seeds and plug plants from Roots , I’m currently waiting to harvest carrots, radish, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, spring onions and of course the very garlic that Ed talked so enthusiastically about when we met.  

I’m very excited that I will be harvesting potatoes for my Christmas lunch!       

Over a few weeks, it really began to take shape. With the support of my two amazing children, we built paths, a wooden edge and added tunnels to keep away the rabbits that enjoyed the free offerings of vegetables on the plots. 

I became so hooked that I bought the plot next to me, this one is purely for flowers – a haven for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.  I’m thinking, just thinking at the minute, about the possibility of a small pond – but that’s something for the future. One thing I’ve learned is the power of patience, of waiting and of small steps that eventually add up to something great.  My advice – if you’ve always fancied growing or if you’re looking for community then Roots could be for you.  You can find information about current and new sites on https://www.rootsallotments.com/ 

By Maria Davison

Read Maria’s other articles here

Images Maria Davison and Dreamstime