Learn Something New in 2014 At Woburn Abbey Gardens

If improving your gardening skills was one of your New Year Resolutions for 2014, Woburn Abbey Gardens have a number of courses, study days and events on offer. From drop-in activities at the monthly Come and Grow events, to study days lead by experts, and the 5 week Introduction to Horticulture course in the autumn – there is something for everyone.

During the first weekend in January, visitors observed Woburn’s gardeners mulching the annual bedding and demonstrating the taking of hardwood cuttings in their Camellia House. New and experienced gardening enthusiasts alike were able to pick up new skills and put their questions to the Woburn Abbey Gardens team. During the next year, there will be eleven more of these events – each with its own theme and seasonal tasks – taking place on the first weekend of every month. These sessions are included with standard gardens entry and you can join a free guided tour of the gardens at 12 noon on both days of each event.

Woburn Abbey Gardens are also offering a total of nine study days between May and October; each lead by their RHS qualified gardeners or other experts from their field. The season starts with two days in May – Kitchen Gardening (Wednesday 7th) and Propagation (Wednesday 14th), and the Bees Study Day in July (Sunday 27th) will teach you how to give these insects a helping hand at home. From September, there is a series of Study Days that can be booked separately, or together to make up a ‘Introduction to Horticulture’ course. Between the 17th September and the 15th October, the weekly Study Days will cover subjects including: Planning Your Garden; Planting Your Garden; Pruning and Propagation; Composting; and Trees and Shrubs.

Woburn Abbey Gardens won the Georgian Group Architectural Award in 2013 for their restoration work on the gardens designed by Humphry Repton. His life and work, particularly his designs for Woburn, will be examined on the 16th October.
For more information, visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk, call 01525 290333 or email StudyDays@woburn.co.uk
 
2014 Event Highlights

• 21st-22nd June 2014 – Woburn Abbey Garden Show

• 26th and 27th September – Bat Walks

• 29th November – Luminaries Woburnensis

Come and Grow
1st and 2nd February - Pruning Evergreen Shrubs including Dogwood
1st and 2nd March - Pruning Roses and Wisteria
5th and 6th April - Snow Drop Planting and Seed Sowing
3rd and 4th May - Hazel Plant Supports and Pruning Forsythia/Philedelphus
7th and 8th June - The Cheslea Chop and Planting Seasonal Bedding
5th and 6th July - Pruning Buxus and Prunus
2nd and 3rd August - Pruning Wisteria and Propagating Herbs
6th and 7th September - Lawn Care, Pruning Lavender and Composting
4th and 5th October - Bulb and Tree Planting
1st and 2nd November - Preparing Herbaceous Borders and Turf Lifting
6th and 7th December - Pruning Fruit Trees and Double Digging

Study Days
Kitchen Gardening
Wednesday 7th May
Grow your own fruit, vegetables and herbs at home after taking part in this day long introduction to Kitchen Gardening.

Propagation
Wednesday 14th May
Examine the conditions needed for propagating plants and practise seed and vegetative plant propagation techniques.

Bees
Sunday 27th July
Uncover some incredible facts about these important insects and find out how to give bees a helping hand at home.

Planning Your Garden
Wednesday 17th September
Learn how to identify different types of plant and the situations that suit them. Draw up your own scale plan for a border.

Planting Your Garden
Wednesday 24th September
Discover the horticultural skills needed to prepare a site. Try planting to a site plan with correct spacing and positioning.

Pruning and Propagation
Wednesday 1st October
Explore basic pruning, pruning for shape and technical pruning skills and investigate various propagation techniques.

Composting
Wednesday 8th October
Our gardeners will guide you through the process of making a leaf mould and discuss techniques you can use at home.

Trees and Shrubs
Wednesday 15th October
Find out about the different requirements of a variety of trees and shrubs.  Discover which would best suit your garden.

Humphry Repton
Thursday 16th October
Take an in-depth look at the career of Humphry Repton and what made him such a remarkable landscape gardener. Explore his most realised designs in Woburn Abbey Gardens.

Leeds Castle’s Popular Spring Lifestyle Fair Returns - 19 & 20 May

Use your Key to the Castle ticket this spring to visit the fashionable Home and Garden Weekend at Leeds Castle.

This popular annual event will be held on the 19 and 20 May and is the ideal opportunity to see the castle gardens in bloom and get inspiration for your home and garden from a wide range of exhibitors.

Whether you are looking to add colour to your garden or update your spring wardrobe, you will find something for everyone at our Home and Garden Weekend. 

The Leeds Castle and Hollingbourne Garden Society will be exhibiting their gold winning display, from the Hampton Court Flower Show.

The popular Daily Mail Gardening Question Time Roadshow is returning this year and will feature regular daily shows, question and answer sessions with gardening experts and fantastic prizes will be available.

Meet the presenters, enjoy live entertainment and sample the catering on offer throughout the weekend. With plenty of food stalls and entertainment throughout the day you’ll be spoilt for choice.

There will be garden centres displaying water features and equipment for sale plus a nursery where you can purchase plants to brighten up your window boxes, balcony or garden this spring. 

Visit the Leeds Castle shops for gardening accessories from the new ‘Regal Garden’ range including bird seed cupcakes plus beautiful items for your home. Prices start from £4.

New for 2012 - Electric boat rides will be available for younger visitors at a small additional charge.

Whilst at the castle, make the most of your day by visiting the castle gardens. See a mass of spring bulbs and wild flowers in the Wood Garden, fragrant herbs and roses in the quintessentially English Culpeper Garden and late flowering borders in the Mediterranean-style Lady Baillie Garden.

Your Key to the Castle ticket is valid for this weekend event. Tickets cost £19.75 for adults; £17.50 for seniors and visitors with disabilities (carer goes free); £12.50 for children (under 4’s free). Tickets are valid for 12 months so you can pay once and visit all year round.

Leeds Castle is located near Maidstone in Kent just off Junction 8 of the M20 and only one hour’s drive from London. Grounds open at 10am daily and the castle is open from 10.30am. Last admission is 4.30pm and gates close at 6pm (April to September).

For further information, visit the website: www.leeds-castle.com or call 01622 765400.

INCREASE YOUR PLANT STOCKS AT A PROPAGATION DAY AT HOLKHAM HALL IN NORFOLK

Enthusiastic gardeners can take the opportunity to learn how to increase their plant stocks without having to spend a fortune by attending a special Propagation Day at Holkham Hall in Norfolk on Saturday, September 10.

Head gardener Tim Marshall is overseeing a long term restoration project of the Walled Gardens at Holkham and has a wealth of experience in propagating plants. The day will start with an informal talk on the various methods used with the aid of some helpful information sheets followed by a buffet lunch in the Stables Café after which a practical session will take place in the Walled Gardens to demonstrate how to take cuttings and pot them up.

The day includes coffee on arrival and lunch along with a selection of your own propagated plants to take home.

Focus returns to the Walled Gardens on Saturday, October 15, with a dedicated Pruning Day for gardeners keen to learn the correct methods of effective pruning. The course covers the basic biology of trees and shrubs and includes hands-on experience, the opportunity to ask questions and coffee and lunch.

Tickets for both event are £35 each and can be bought by telephoning the Holkham ticket office on 01328 713111 or emailing ticketoffice@holkham.co.uk.

Gardening Talent Blooms at Chatsworth

Chatsworth has appointed young gardening talent Steve Porter to take over the reins at the 105-acre garden and parkland where some of the most iconic names in horticulture including Joseph Paxton and Capability Brown have played their part in shaping the stunning landscape in previous centuries.

Steve (35) started out his gardening career with The National Trust, becoming their youngest ever Head Gardener at just 23 years old and making headlines across the gardening industry for such a high achievement.

His arrival at Chatsworth came four years ago as he was appointed as Assistant Head, learning a wealth of knowledge under the wing of highly experienced Ian Webster, the previous Head Gardener who is retiring after four decades. Steve is now leading a team of 25 gardeners and estate workers, working to maintain and continually improve the garden and park and a host of new projects designed to increase enjoyment of what is one of the most loved gardens and parks in the country.

For Steve one of the best parts of the job is being able to work closely with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, who get thoroughly involved with all aspects of their estate and have a particular a passion for the 105-acre garden.

Steve says, “It feels a great honour to be taking up this post for one of the most iconic gardens in Britain, following in the tradition of some of the most famous gardeners that have ever lived, and also caring for a place that so many people have either a connection or passion for”.