Photography by Alister Thorpe, except where noted. Cover photograph by Jens Best via Flickr.
An allotment is the British English term for community garden, but it means more than that: it is a European concept of growing food where space at home might be limited. Come with us on a tour of landscape architect Stefano Marinaz's London Allotment, where he explores his love of experimentation with plants.
The glasshouse is surrounded by personal touches like a habitat for insects on a bamboo frame, and woven edging along the dirt path.
Glass cloches provide warmth for young cucumbers in an uncertain climate.
“By showing real examples, it is easier to educate people to make changes in the way they live in their garden,” says Stefano. “The allotment is also a place where we do design work and plan projects, bringing over laptops and sketching paper.”
Rusted metal arches provide structure in a wild-looking garden featuring wildflowers and edited weeds such as teasel.
“The structure we designed for the vines was made out of leftover steel from a project of ours, and installed by the landscape contractor’s metal worker.”
Cucumbers and tomatoes are given protection and plenty of space in the greenhouse.
Stefano Marinaz harvesting tomatoes, and more tomatoes.