Individual characteristics of the study participants – allotment garden owners (gender, age profile and length of garden ownership)_
| Category | N (203) | % |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Female | 99 | 48.77 |
| Male | 104 | 51.23 |
| Age (years) | ||
| <20 | 8 | 3.95 |
| 21–30 | 30 | 14.78 |
| 31–40 | 42 | 20.69 |
| 41–50 | 58 | 28.57 |
| 51–60 | 39 | 19.21 |
| 61–70 | 26 | 12.80 |
| Length of allotment garden ownership (years) | ||
| <5 | 32 | 15.76 |
| 6–10 | 73 | 35.96 |
| 11–15 | 60 | 29.56 |
| 16–20 | 17 | 8.37 |
| 21–25 | 15 | 7.39 |
| >26 | 6 | 2.96 |
Categories of answers to the survey question: ‘What does owning an allotment garden during the pandemic mean to you?’, from non-standardised interviews (N = 203)_
| No. | Answer category | Quotes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ‘I like this plot and I’m glad that I didn’t sell it, because then I wouldn’t have anywhere to go.’ | |
| 2 | ‘Whenever I’m in my allotment, I get a feeling of stability and normalcy, because this is where I can forget about what’s going on in the country and the rest of the world.’ | |
| 3 | ‘I’ve got nothing better to do due to the lockdown, so I go to my allotment. I’m lucky to have one, because otherwise I’d go mad staying inside my house.’ | |
| 4 | ‘Visiting my allotment lets me exercise, which is important for me as a senior. The moment you stop exercising, your body starts to ache and your mood drops.’ | |
| 5 | ‘We bought an allotment for twice the price, but we wanted our children to be able to go outside somewhere. It’s a form of investment. We’re not going to grow any produce, but we now have somewhere to go outside and set up a pool. It’s somewhere for the children to run around in. Our family and friends can also come and visit us here. It’s safer outside than at home, of course.’ | |
| 6 | ‘I’ve had this plot for 20 years and, virus or no virus, I’m going to keep coming here, because this is literally my own piece of land.’ |
Respondents’ perception of changes in the functions of allotments over the last 5 years (2015–2020) by age (N = 203)_
| Answer | Age group (years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <20 | 21–30 | 31–40 | 41–50 | 51–60 | 61–70 | ||
| No change observed | N | 5 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| % | 62.5 | 36.7 | 21.4 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 0.0 | |
| Generational change | N | 0 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 10 |
| % | 0.0 | 0.0 | 26.2 | 25.9 | 33.3 | 38.5 | |
| Functional shift from utility to recreation purposes | N | 1 | 3 | 9 | 19 | 12 | 12 |
| % | 12.5 | 10.0 | 21.4 | 32.8 | 30.8 | 46.2 | |
| Increase in unused allotments | N | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| % | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.5 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.0 | |
| Increase in owner anonymity | N | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 4 |
| % | 0.0 | 6.7 | 2.4 | 25.9 | 23.1 | 15.4 | |
| New decorative plant and vegetable variations | N | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % | 12.5 | 0.0 | 11.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Technological progress | N | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| % | 0.0 | 10.0 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 7.7 | 0.0 | |
| Allotment treated as an investment | N | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % | 12.5 | 36.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Respondents’ reasons for purchasing an allotment garden by age (N = 203)_
| Reasons for purchasing an allotment | Age group (years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <20 | 21–30 | 31–40 | 41–50 | 51–60 | 61–70 | ||
| Private space free from COVID-19 restrictions | N | 1 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| % | 12.5 | 30.0 | 14.3 | 13.8 | 20.5 | 19.2 | |
| A way to spend time | N | 0 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 4 |
| % | 0.0 | 26.7 | 16.7 | 20.7 | 17.9 | 15.4 | |
| Physical activity | N | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| % | 25.0 | 10.0 | 7.1 | 12.1 | 15.4 | 7.7 | |
| Relaxation in natural surroundings | N | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| % | 12.5 | 10.0 | 11.9 | 6.9 | 12.8 | 11.5 | |
| Growing one’s own produce | N | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 5 |
| % | 12.5 | 6.7 | 4.8 | 20.7 | 25.6 | 19.2 | |
| An investment | N | 0 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| % | 0.0 | 3.3 | 28.6 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 7.7 | |
| A place to meet with family and friends | N | 3 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 5 |
| % | 37.5 | 13.3 | 16.7 | 22.4 | 5.1 | 19.2 | |
Reasons for purchasing an allotment by length of ownership (N = 203)_
| Argument | Length of ownership allotment garden (years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤5 | 6–10 | 11–15 | 16–20 | 21–25 | 26–30 | ||
| Growing one’s own fruits and vegetables | N | 3 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| % | 10.0 | 12.3 | 10.0 | 41.2 | 23.5 | 0.0 | |
| Having a place to meet with family and friends | N | 8 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| % | 26.7 | 13.7 | 15.0 | 0.0 | 29.4 | 50.0 | |
| I inherited the allotment | N | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % | 0.0 | 9.6 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Spending free time | N | 8 | 17 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| % | 26.7 | 23.3 | 31.7 | 11.8 | 5.9 | 50.0 | |
| Need for contact with nature | N | 8 | 28 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| % | 26.7 | 38.4 | 35.0 | 23.5 | 11.8 | 0.0 | |
| An investment | N | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| % | 29.4 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 23.5 | 10.0 | 0.0 | |
Respondents’ perceived benefits of owning an allotment by age (N = 203)_
| Answer | Age group (years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <20 | 21–30 | 31–40 | 41–50 | 51–60 | 61–70 | ||
| Improved health | N | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| % | 25.0 | 6.7 | 9.5 | 6.9 | 17.9 | 23.1 | |
| Relaxation | N | 2 | 21 | 14 | 25 | 13 | 4 |
| % | 25.0 | 70.0 | 33.3 | 43.1 | 33.3 | 15.4 | |
| Growing fruits and vegetables | N | 3 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 10 | 9 |
| % | 37.5 | 10.0 | 19.0 | 32.8 | 25.6 | 34.6 | |
| Contact with nature | N | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| % | 0.0 | 13.3 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 12.8 | 15.4 | |
| Aesthetic experiences | N | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| % | 12.5 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 0.0 | |
| Spending time with family | N | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| % | 0.0 | 0.0 | 21.4 | 5.2 | 7.7 | 11.5 | |
| Physical activity | N | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| No benefits | N | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Respondents’ perceived importance of their allotments as an escape from everyday problems by age (N = 203)_
| Answer* | Age group (years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤20 | 21–30 | 31–40 | 41–50 | 51–60 | 61–70 | ||
| Strongly agree | N | 4 | 26 | 38 | 48 | 28 | 17 |
| % | 50.0 | 86.7 | 90.5 | 82.8 | 71.8 | 65.4 | |
| Mostly agree | N | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| % | 50.0 | 0.0 | 7.1 | 13.8 | 12.8 | 23.1 | |
| Neither agree nor disagree | N | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| % | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 10.3 | 7.7 | |
| Mostly disagree | N | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| % | 0.0 | 13.3 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 5.1 | 3.8 | |