Thank heavens for garden sheds! No sooner had I got the new arch assembled and the new clematis and passion flower in, than the heavens opened in a proper April shower. Sitting in the shed reading (The Lonely Planet's Tales from Nowhere, if you're interested - a good read, I think, and fairly pertinent for a blustery allotment at the beginning of spring :) ) I could keep an eye on the arch to check for signs of vulnerability in the increasing wind, and stay warm and dry.  As the light began to fade I realised I had no option if I wanted to get home by bike - I was going to get wet :)

I picked Gardman's Easy Arch for the allotment - a relatively cheap experiment to see if it is reasonably neglect- and badger-resistant. I'm moderately impressed so far - the plastic coated pieces went together fairly easily, and each joint is screwed together. As ever though, the proof will be in the long gusty days exposed on the plot. To give the rather small climbing plants a rather easier start than the arch allows for, I've made a small grid of string in the first section - something for small tendrils to get hold of early on.