My neighbour and I are sharing a half-size allotment - about 30m X 6m, but 1/4 of that is set to fruit bushes (blackcurrents, raspberries and gooseberries) and the old manure heap, and another couple of metres has a polytunnel which has been sold off to someone else before we took on the patch, so that's going. I'll use that patch for a seed bed and maybe set up a cold frame for next year.

We've got it all dug over now and divided for a 4-patch rotation. For potatoes, we've bought Romano, King Edward and Pink Fir Apple. Also, in June, I've got 6 individual potato plants arriving - one each of 6 rare 'breeds', so they ought to be interesting.

I've got Pink Lady runner (pole) beans which is a type that dates back to 1850 apparently. And we've bought some very unusual green French beans that are supposed to grow pods over 20 cms in length - also climbers. And some yellow wax beans.

Got ourselves some purple brussel sprout seeds, some asparagus pea seeds, Pomodoro tomato seeds, and some bluey-grey-purple pumpkin seeds.

Still want to find some acorn squash seeds and we haven't made any decisions re: peas, other brassicas, et al.

I keep most of the herbs up at the house, but I've got some comfrey to plant by the water butts, some thyme, rosemary and parsley to tuck in some corners, and I've planted a crown of rhubarb ('Champagne').

Generally, our strategy is to plant things which we probably won't get on the local farmers' market - which is only down the street.

sian