When Kay Sexton becomes the proud holder of an allotment, she hopes it will be her first foray towards self-sufficiency for her family. Instead, she finds herself in a strange and hostile world of arcane rules and regulations, and hosepipe standoffs. She finds her mud-caked Wellingtoned feet and successfully navigates her way through allotment-keeping: battling Biblical-scale pest invasions; learning the dark arts of the competitive vegetable grower; and practising ninja-like disappearing acts to avoid yet another free cucumber from a neighbouring gardener.

Witty, well-observed and with mouth-watering recipes, this book is for anyone who dreams of a slice of the good life.