Sínann Fetherston speaks with Feebee Foran about the 2026 GrowAllot initiative, which aims to connect budding growers with plots of land.
"The world might be on fire, but let's talk about gardens," says Dublin entrepreneur and 'green witch' Feebee Foran.
The founder of Forager, a natural skincare brand that uses botanics, says she is determined to focus on the good of the world and curate as many positive things as are in her control.
The latest venture in that pursuit is the return of GrowAllot, an initiative that aims to give 10 lucky individuals the opportunity to skip the standard 4-year waiting list for allotments in Dublin and secure their own space for the next growing season.
"It's absolute wholesomeness," she says of the programme. "It's exactly what the bloody world needs. We had a launch on Sunday, and it was just pure joy."
When we speak, allotments - or lack thereof - are making headlines, with campaigners calling for more plots to become available nationwide.
However, the department responsible (Housing, Local Government and Heritage) said the Planning and Development Act 2024 requires planning authorities to prepare a strategy relating to the creation of sustainable places within their development plans.
To do her part to tackle the issue, Foran paired up with Jimmy Phibbs, owner of Bohernabreena Allotments, to secure some private space for budding gardeners.
Situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Dublin Mountains, the GrowAllot ’26 programme provides 10 winning growers with a 1m x 3m allotment bed.
"We wanted to give people the opportunity to flirt with allotmenting," she explains, noting that businesses such as GIY, Ollys Farm, Tirlán, and Clover Grow have generously donated to the cause over the years.
Providing seeds, gardening equipment, and heaps of advice, Feebee says that the ten chosen applicants always manage to take to the allotments like ducks to water.
Not only do they learn to grow their own food, but they find a real sense of community amongst the group, and better their mental health in the process.
"These people come on in leaps and bounds," she insists. "One man, when he first came, his wife spoke for him; there wasn't a peep out of him. He was quiet as a mouse. Now, he's up there, chatting with everyone, and he's the one you call if you need a hand. His wife sent me a message one day and said: Feebee, you have given me my husband back."
"That's not me," she adds. "That's what working with nature does."
In recent weeks, with protests and blockades leading to fuel supply shortages, Feebee says her inbox has been inundated with messages, with many wondering if now might be the time to start growing their own food.
"When there's any kind of a hiccup, even when it's only a couple of days, it has a lasting impact," she says, plainly.
"We had a huge surge of applications this year, with people wanting access to their own food and wanting to take control of what goes on their dinner table."
While Feebee encourages individuals to start growing their own spinach, kale, lettuce and potatoes ("when you plant one spud, you get about 10 back"), she hopes that businesses, county councils, and organisations will start investing in their green spaces.
"Gardening should not be considered just a hobby anymore," she insists. "You get a sense of purpose because you're putting food on the table, you're moving more, you're breathing fresh air, listening to the birds, seeing green - you're hitting all these mental health pillars."
"It's not just a 'nice to have'," she adds. "It's a must-have."
Follow the Tirlan-sponsored GrowAllot Grow-along on social media at @forager.ie.
