“I might be Finland’s youngest allotment gardener”—Annika bought a tiny cottage at just 20
Annika Back, 25, has renovated her allotment garden without fearing big digging tasks, keeping in mind it wouldn’t be finished overnight. “I let the plants grow and waited to see if I liked them.” She did have to ask her weightlifter friends for help moving the yard shed.
While out paddleboarding a few years ago, Annika Back and her friend landed at the Sulkuranta allotment garden in Jyväskylä. To her own surprise, she fell so in love with the place that she decided to get a plot of her own. The cottage and garden she bought during the pandemic have become a cherished spot where she can spend time with her own thoughts and enjoy allotment life.
Annika, how did you come across your allotment garden?
My friend and I walked barefoot along the sandy paths of the allotment garden. I felt a huge urge to start gardening. I was captivated by the atmosphere, the cottages, and the greenery. I left a note on the community bulletin board. I got a few calls and was interested in a couple of places. One was in good shape, and the other was in poor condition.
My partner suggested I pick the one in poor condition and make it my own. The cottage was run-down, with the yard shed attached, knee-high grass, and wild rugosa rose in the yard.
Still, I fell for that cottage’s location because it bordered a forest and a road, leaving only one shared boundary with a neighbor. I saw its potential and decided to buy it. I was 20 years old then and probably among Finland’s youngest, if not the youngest, allotment cottage owners.
“I do weightlifting and enjoy physical work. I invited all my weightlifter friends to help move the yard shed.”
Where did you start with the renovation?
Physical tasks didn’t bother me. In my first year, I dug out rugosa rose, weeds, and roots. It’s been challenging to restore an old yard with decades of dormant seeds.
I invited all my weightlifter friends to help move the yard shed. Using straps, we shifted it to a new spot. I painted both the cottage and shed a light color. I built the raised beds myself, since I’m used to working with saws, screwdrivers, and a hammer.
After the first year, I started dreaming of a greenhouse and homegrown tomatoes and chilies. I made the foundation, and my partner assembled the greenhouse on it. I’m not good at following assembly instructions. I also left a small area in its natural state so there’s space for diverse plants and wildlife.
How does allotment gardening feel?
It gives me a connection to nature, personal space, and something to do. I do weightlifting and enjoy physical tasks. I don’t necessarily see gardening as a workout, although it can be hard work sometimes. The sense of community here is exactly what you choose it to be. If the gate is open, people are welcome to come by or call over the fence. If the gate is closed, I’m left alone.
I don’t specifically study plant requirements or the finer points of cultivation; I just experiment. I believe nothing can go too badly wrong if I use common sense. Plastic sheets and chemicals don’t belong in the garden, and that principle goes a long way. If I ever get tired of cottage life and gardening, I can quickly head back to the urban environment.
What inspires you?
I mainly wanted to grow edible crops. Even though growing carrots might not be cost-effective, I can cultivate varieties unavailable in stores, such as red carrots with an ombré-like hue. Harvesting vegetables straight from my own bed is an unparalleled taste experience.
My favorite root vegetable is the candy-striped beet. I always grow zucchini, pumpkins, beans, carrots, potatoes, corn, palm kale, and in the greenhouse, tomatoes and chilies.
“At first, I knew nothing about flowers. I let them grow to see if I liked them. My first love was garden phlox, even though I heard they were ‘grandma flowers.’”
What kind of flowers do you like?
At first, I knew nothing about flowers, but the garden taught me. I let them grow to see if I liked them. My first love was garden phlox. I bought them even though people said they were ‘grandma flowers.’ Later, I had to laugh because phlox became a trendy flower.
Gradually, I expanded my flower bed and created new planting areas. I want flowers for summer color and for bouquets. I sow seeds on the windowsill in my home office, and by April, it’s bursting with plants. I rarely buy ready-grown seedlings; for me, growing from seed is an essential part of the hobby. I also collect seeds for future use.
Overall, I love flowers in all their colors and shapes. Over the winter, my friend and I took a floral arrangement course so I’d know how to arrange bouquets. Sometimes, though, I can’t bring myself to cut the flowers for arranging.
Annika’s garden tips
- You’ll save on seeds if you collect them from your own flowers for replanting. I sometimes mark poppies and other lovely blooms with yarn so I remember to harvest their seeds in late summer.
- If space is tight, you can use supports to train vegetable plants to grow upward. Try cucumbers, pumpkins, or pole beans.
- Grow some perennial edible plants, too. Garden orach, for instance, provides a good yield as a leafy perennial.
