COUNTRY IN TOWN

Many people want the relaxing lifestyle and a better quality of life without moving from the town or city. They have a reasonable job and can afford maybe the better things in life and don't want the sacrifices which come with downshifting or life changing.

So you want some of the country qualities without the fields.

FAIR ENOUGH! everyone to their own.

A fine way of enjoying a countrystyle life is to at least grow vegetables and more and more people are growing their own either in a veggie patch at the end of a garden or in containers on the Patio. This year, mainly to save a lot of digging and weeding, I've got Cabbages, Lettuce, Beetroot, Carrots and Cucumbers all growing in tubs or box containers - no problems!

Then of course, there's the faithful Chicken Ark with a few hens to supply you with eggs - and to be your friends as well!

Naturally, a lot depends on factors such as size of garden and if you have a garden atall, but where there's a will there's a way.

Allotments are usually pretty easy to get, but with the increasing popularity of greener living, you need to put your name on a list quite often.
Allotments are relatively cheap and can start from as little as £30 per annum! If you consider the size of them and the amount of produce achievable, it really is quite a bargain!
Some Councils allow Chickens in Pens on Allotments, but this needs to be investigated plus what your neighbouring plots may have to think about it.

Gardens can be planted 'countrystyle'. Forget about the neat flower bed borders - get a mixture of wild flowers and sow them scatter them around in no particular order and of course, every garden should have at least one area of completely wild growth to attract the butterflies and other species slowly being put to extinction by chemical farming and exhaust fumes etc.

Downshifting isn't only about moving to a smallholding, knitting jumpers and speaking with a yokal accent, it's about living to be yourself in an environment which suits you and your family