If you’re looking for gardening inspiration, Instagram is a treasure trove of tips. We recently spoke with the robin whisperer behind @aoifes_allotment_adventures. She has transformed her property into a vibrant space for wildlife and the local community to enjoy and share. Read more about Aoife and her fascinating journey here…
read more: Featured Gardener: @aoifes_allotment_adventures
What made you start gardening?
Image: @aoifes_allotment_adventures
After a challenging career in the fast-paced industry of superyachts, I returned to the UK with a deep desire to reconnect with nature and grow my own food and flowers. My early memories of helping my father with his garden and living in the English countryside have never left me. After waiting for over 1,000 days, we finally secured an allocation. With very little growing experience, I discovered this amazing Instagram corner full of amazing gardeners and farmers, and everyone was so supportive. It was all so exciting that I decided I wanted to create a haven for people, pollinators, and wildlife.
Lotti is flanked by a gently babbling stream and flanked by a continuous road that allows us to share the rare plants and flowers grown here with those interested. I’m really happy. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how community garden spaces can spark real interest and excitement.
What do you want to grow?
Image: @aoifes_allotment_adventures
My sensory assignments are a constant mix of bright colors and experimental crops, combining perennials, biennials, and hardy annuals for year-round interest with a variety of pollen and nectar sources. I am.
Enchanting textures include fragrant flowers such as lilies and fragrant sweet peas, velvety angel wings of Senecio candidan, and crunchy strawflowers. I’m really into dahlias. It’s great to have colors like this even in November. I’m obsessed with California poppies and also grow a lot of different foxglove varieties.
I discovered that I like growing from seeds. Some of my favorite vegetables are those from the cucurbit family. The smallest ones are cucamelon, which I love, and tromboncino squash. Not only are they delicious, they can grow over a meter long and are great conversation starters.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Image: @aoifes_allotment_adventures
One of my greatest joys is developing vertical growth spaces.
I built a five meter wall of hazel sticks and linen netting that filled the air with the wonderful scent of sweet peas, and a colorful arch with a variety of climbing pumpkins, cucumbers, beans and giant sunflowers. This lot is all about reuse and recycling.
Harvesting my first homegrown vegetables and gifting them to friends and family was a big moment for me. I’m also very lucky to have earned the trust of my feathered friend RicRobin. He was a cheeky man full of songs and raised six children with his companion Ruby. When he is in a talkative mood, gardening is almost never done.
What are your future plans?
Image: @aoifes_allotment_adventures
Next year we will use our new greenhouse to grow grapes, passion fruit and beautiful bougainvillea to bring a Mediterranean flavor to our farm. There will also be a variety of melons and heirloom tomatoes inspired by my time abroad. I also plan to expand the butterfly beds and grow more edibles for both people and pollinators. Next year will be even more spectacular.
grow up like aoife
Image: @aoifes_allotment_adventures
If you’d like to purchase the products Aoife grows, here’s a quick shopping list.
We hope you will learn more about Aoifes from @aoifes_allotment_adventures. If you would like to read about other inspirational growers, check out our #tmfeaturedgardens series on Instagram.
Since the first seed catalog was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest mail order seed and plant companies. Through publishing catalogs and operating an award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the highest quality products money can buy.
Related articles you might enjoy
