There comes a time when you need more from life than shoes and trinkets (yes, really!). You all know how cool growing your own is at the minute, right? You may even know that waiting lists for council allotments are as long as the M2. Well, there is a way to have your salad and carrots and eat them, too. At David Morrow's private allotments (up behind Ice Bowl in Dundonald, near Streamvale Open Farm). There is a whole other world of growing-your-own going on up there. The views are mid-boggling - you can literally stand on some of the allotments and gaze over Strangford and over Belfast Lough the other way. There are all sorts of people there, too - a real community. Retired people, families with dogs and toddlers, University professors - they're all there, planting and weeding and munching. There are picnics and barbecues and rows of sunflowers. Tidy allotments all in rows, higgelty piggelty ones and even some with chickens. You might never have thought of doing something like this , but lots of people club together and maybe take one between a couple of families (you pay by the year, per square foot - it's not that pricey). David is always happy for people to go and have a look - why not pop up and see for yourself? read more