Workshops
Workshops in 2026
28 March Unlocking the power of organic gardening with Becky Searle (@sow_much_more) author of Grow a New Garden. Get ready to dig deep into the world of soil and organic gardening and discover the secrets to growing your own veg . This information packed day kicks off with a session on soil which includes a look at soil life under the microscope. Becky is an organic, no dig gardener so she will explore these topics before moving on to composting.. Becky turns her attention to seeds and the importance of seed saving with some great pointers on where to start. The last session of the day pulls all this information together and Becky helps you to plan your veg plot or allotment, what crops to grow, the role of ornamentals, when to sow the different crops etc. All participants get a copy of Becky’s allotment planner, a starter selection of seeds and some seedlings to take away.
Becky Searle is a freelance gardening writer and kitchen gardener. She has an allotment near Exeter. Her book, Grow a New Garden was published in April 2025. She has a regular feature in Kitchen Garden Magazine and writes for Gardener’s World Magazine, Homes and Gardens Magazine and Telegraph Recommends. Her own garden has been featured in The Guardian and Modern Gardens Magazine. Buy tickets on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unlocking-the-power-of-organic-gardening-tickets-1979531046648?aff=oddtdtcreator
12 April Creating a climate resilient kitchen garden with Sally. This intensive full day course looks at growing organic fruit and vegetables. Everything starts with the soil so we look at soil, mulching and composting, making our own potting composts, and creating hugelkultur beds for added resilience, plus water harvesting methods, from the simple to the more complex. Traditional crop rotations may not always be the best approach so Sally looks at alternative approaches, such as polyculture and continuous cropping. We will examine ways of increasing resilience to the extremes of climate through diversity, encouraging wildlife and natural biocontrols.
Perennial vegetables have a key role to play in the climate change garden. Sally has been growing a wide range of edible perennials at Empire Farm for many years. She has a perennial veg garden and she will discuss the options that are available including forest gardens, edible hedgerows and meadows. This is followed by a session on growing soft and top fruits. The day will include a tour of the kitchen gardens, greenhouse and allotments.Buy tickets on eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1896823804059?aff=oddtdtcreator
