As we hit the hottest month of the year (July 2015), our retirement village allotments are bursting with produce and flowers.

In fact, the allotments are some of the busiest places in our villages at present and many have waiting lists, as green-fingered residents join the queue for their own plot.

“I left my garden behind and while I didn’t mind in the slightest giving up the mowing and the heavy maintenance in a big garden, I did miss growing things,” explained Diane Swift, allotment co-ordinator at Lime Tree Village in Dunchurch near Rugby.

Diane and a number of residents visited our Elmbridge Village, which already has established plots, growing a massive variety of flowers, fruit and vegetables. The trip gave the Rugby residents the inspiration they needed and they now have their own 11 plots, garden shed, two greenhouses, water butts, a wormery and a herb garden. There’s also a waiting list!

“There is a real sense of community, we share produce and grow communal tomatoes and cucumber. It is a great social place; people stop and talk to you as they head off along Lime Tree Walk. And we are outside in the fresh air too,” explained Diane, aged 63, who moved to Lime Tree in 2008 from Grantham.