Protect our plots: readers' pictures of allotments

‘View of my shed taken on Regatta Lane Allotments, Branston Burton on Trent. These allotments are the largest in Staffordshire. We’ve got plenty of plots available for immediate rental. They’re free for the rest of the year!’ Photograph: funkcity/Guardian Witness

‘Picked and pickled within three hours. Spiced with black peppercorn, mustard seeds and garlic from my allotment in Lye in the West Midlands’. Photograph: Lee Herrington/Guardian Witness

‘Ray is in his 80s and he’s had his allotment for 34 years. It’s become more difficult for Ray to manage his patch, and he could lose his little plot unless he can keep it trim. North London Cares, a local charity, is bringing in a crack team to help Ray, the “Monty Don of Islington”, to tidy it up.’ Photograph: northlondoncares/Guardian Witness

‘Despite each of us spending almost two hours per day commuting into central London, we love spending our spare time at the plot. We recently took part in the protest at the Royal Courts of Justice to Save Farm Terrace allotments, a neighbouring site under threat. We blog at agentsoffield.com’. Photograph: AgentsofField/Guardian Witness

‘OK, so it’s national, not international, allotments week. But just back from Germany, where I was struck by the thriving grow-your-own culture, particularly in the ex-DDR’. Photograph: kate_murray/Guardian Witness

‘A housing development is proposed for our 150 year old allotments and adjacent Green Belt land near Junction 9 of M25’. Photograph: Louise Herrity/Guardian Witness

‘Scarecrow ‘George’ needed a makeover and so morphed into ‘Gladys’ as a welcome Father’s Day present. She keeps an eye on Plot 4’. Photograph: organicphil/Guardian Witness

‘One day’s pickings from my allotment, taken over in January and the result of lots of hard work. Now under threat from Brighton & Hove council for housing. And we have a Green Party MP. The site has a Community Food project, badgers, slow worms, and butterflies. It would be a tragedy to lose it’. Photograph: Jo Shuttleworth/ Guardian Witness

Cambridge Cyrenians Allotment Project for homeless people: ‘The allotment group and a bunch of volunteers from Cambridge Uni having a cuppa after digging out the wildlife pond this summer’. Photograph: Ruth Nicholls/Guardian Witness

‘Arthur helping Poppa harvest his beans, at Jesmond Dene Allotments, Newcastle’. Photograph: lauxgled/Guardian Witness

‘My site has one of the best view points in Bristol for viewing the Balloon Fiesta and this one looked as though it was going to land amongst the sunflowers’. Photograph: Diane Appleyard/Guardian Witness

Translucent white currants. Photograph: mandydoubt/Guardian Witness

Giant cabbages at Chalfont St. Peter allotments: ‘This is from a visit me and my son Noah made to our local allotment. There are loads of great things growing there but sadly some overgrown plots too. I would love to have one myself but as a busy working mum I wouldn’t find the time’. Photograph: ID8105015/ Guardian Witness