Memoirs are tricky things, and in general I don’t read them. I requested this one because I work professionally with allotments and I wanted to see what Mr. Jenkins, a noted writer and editor for The Guardian newspaper, has to say.

Mr. Jenkins juxtaposes the chaos and pain of his childhood, in which he and his brother were abandoned into the UK foster care system, with the stability of participating in a stable allotment garden community.

The benefits of gardening as a formal and structured adjunct therapy for various mental health conditions are well studied but perhaps are not well known to the general public. You might want to take a look at the literature. But the joy and peace that gardening brings has been documented since the mediaeval monks and so we should be pleased but not surprised that Mr. Jenkins' ties to the land throughout his adult life have brought him much pleasure and companionship.

I received a review copy of "Plot 29: A Love Affair With Land" by Allan Jenkins (HarperCollins UK, 4th Estate) through NetGalley.com.