Axminster Town Council has announced the availability of allotment plots for rent.

The council's three sites at Woodbury Park, Millwey Rise, and North Street are now open for residents interested in growing their own fruit, vegetables, and flowers.

These plots offer a chance to enjoy outdoor activity while embracing sustainable living.

The council emphasised that allotments provide more than just a planting space; they are a peaceful escape into nature, a way to reduce one's environmental impact, and a source of satisfaction from producing fresh, homegrown produce.

However, prospective applicants are reminded that an allotment requires significant commitment, with regular maintenance such as planting, weeding, and watering essential.

Deputy town mayor and chair of the Axminster Town Council operations committee, Councillor Jeremy Walden, highlighted the benefits of tending an allotment.

He said: "There is so much of a sense of achievement in eating food you have grown yourself that you will taste the difference immediately.

"But with gardens getting smaller and perhaps needing the space for other leisure activities, an allotment can be the answer.

"It also offers you a place of peace where you can relax and put your troubles out of the way, if only for a little while."

Councillor Walden added: "We have a great community within our allotments where, if you want, you can share ideas, learn new techniques, or just put the world to rights."

He invited interested residents to speak to council staff or attend his surgery at The Community Waffle House on Thursday, October 17, for more information.

Residents of Axminster keen to rent a plot and join the allotment community can find out more about the application process by visiting axminstertowncouncil.gov.uk or by calling 01297 32088.

The council's office is open from Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 4 pm.

With October marking the start of the allotment year, the council encourages potential allotment holders to start preparing their plots for spring planting.

However, they warn that availability is limited, so interested residents should act quickly to secure their plots and begin their journey towards a bountiful summer and autumn harvest in 2025.