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Easter Sculpture festival – CANCELLED
The Botanic Garden has taken the decision to cancel this event; taking into consideration the age of our volunteers and the numbers of people who visit the festival, we have decided that a cancellation is the only responsible course of action. Carboniferous limestone giants striding through a prehistoric forest, the delicate sounds of ceramic Zen bells chiming on trees, mosaic foxes and the mesmerising sight of the potter’s wheel are all features of this year’s Sculpture Festival. The Botanic Garden…
Find out more »Drawing Outdoors and Online with Pick up a Pencil group
An online and outdoors aimed drawing course to explore and to improve your drawing, to experience and appreciate nature and to be part of a group of like-minded individuals. The course will be conducted by email and a WhatsApp group. Details of the week’s lesson will be emailed out in advance and there will be a video call at the start of each lesson. Group members will upload their drawings weekly to their appointed WhatsApp group whereupon they will be…
Find out more »Botanical Art: Drawing and Painting with Jenny Brooks POSTPONED
This 21 week course with senior associate Jenny Brooks Dip.AD, ATC is suitable for beginners as well as returning students. Progress is via the steady development of drawing skills, observational drawing from plant specimens and water colour techniques, using sketchbooks for preparatory work. More advanced students carry out monthly assignments of increasing complexity to further the development of their own work. It is hoped that students will follow all three terms of this course (Autumn 7th Oct – 9th Dec; Spring 13th Jan…
Find out more »Seasonal gardening – make the best of your garden in time for summer CANCELLED
Join Christine Pritchard for an informal and supportive workshop with lots of opportunities to discuss aspects of the garden that are relevant to the coming gardening season. This might range from pruning and propagation to lawn maintenance. You will be introduced to a range of plants that will make your garden more beautiful every summer. We will concentrate on the decorative aspects of your garden so we will not cover fruit or vegetable production. The aim is to make every…
Find out more »Live tour with the Curator
The Mediterranean display Join the Curator as he shows you the plants of interest in the Garden right now. Mid-June sees the Garden in full summer regalia with plants and insects at their most industrious. The tour will take in the Mediterranean display, rare native collection and, if wet, a walk through the glasshouses. The tour will be streamed live on Facebook, so go to our page here and get a Curator's eye view of the…
Find out more »Live Curator’s tour
Join the Curator as he shows you the plants of interest in the Garden right now. We've passed midsummer's day and the season is in full swing, flower is at its most abundant and many displays are at their height. The tour will be streamed live on Facebook, so go to our page here and get a Curator's eye view of the Botanic Garden; you don't need a Facebook account to view the video, and after the event the video…
Find out more »Outdoors and Online Drawing with Pupgroup and Sheena Vallely Part 2
Following the success of our first online drawing course, Pupgroup has designed a new set of drawing exercises for Outdoors and Online Part 2. Drawing can focus the mind, drawing from a living plant and following guidelines focuses and stimulates the mind and can improve your drawing. The format of Outdoors Online drawing course is as follows: Individuals are emailed drawing instructions and receive video calls each week. Feedback on all drawings is given by Sheena the tutor and commentary…
Find out more »ʽDisplays Decodedʼ The Multi-sensory Language of Flowers – POSTPONED until Summer 2021
Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken the decision to postpone our Summer Art Exhibition with artist Alex Hirtzel and Biologist Dr Dave Lawson at the Garden until July - October 2021. Science research is revealing new ways in which pollinators are attracted to plants. This research is happening at a time when insect populations continue to decline. Pollinators are attracted to flowers in several different ways, which are collectively known as ‘sensory modalities.’…
Find out more »National Garden Scheme open day CANCELLED
The National Garden Scheme (NGS) open day returns to the Botanic Garden in July this year where you can see the Garden in all its summer glory. The NGS has been running since 1927 initially to support district nurses; there are now over 3500 gardens across the country open as part of the scheme which last year raised £3.1 million for nursing and health charities. Here at the Botanic Garden there will be tours, displays, plant sales, refreshments and, fingers…
Find out more »Bee and pollination festival – CANCELLED
Bees are still buzzing around the Botanic Garden, but we have taken the decision very sadly to cancel this year’s Festival owing to the restrictions to protect people from the ongoing effects of Covid 19 pandemic. This has not been an easy decision to take. We realise many people will be greatly disappointed at this news. Since it started ten years ago with a handful of exhibitors in the walled garden car park, the weekend event has grown both in…
Find out more »Propagation workshop
An introduction to the exciting world of propagating plants. Your tutor Julie Henderson will guide you through the various methods of creating new plants. You will learn the principles behind plant propagation with a general overview of the basic types of propagation for the home gardener; including seed collecting and sowing, division, layering and the various types of cuttings, including some houseplants. The practical session will focus on what is suitable for the time of year, but the skills you…
Find out more »Seasonal gardening – make the best of your garden in time for autumn
Join Christine Pritchard for an informal and supportive workshop with lots of opportunities to discuss aspects of the garden that are relevant to the coming gardening season. This might range from pruning and propagation to lawn maintenance. You will also be introduced to a range of plants that will make your garden more beautiful every autumn. We will concentrate on the decorative aspects of your garden so we will not cover fruit or vegetable production. The aim is to make…
Find out more »Autumn photography workshop
A not to be missed opportunity for a small group interested in plant and garden photography to spend a day working with professional photographer Graham Parish. Join Graham for a guided walk around the Botanic Garden to identify Autumn highlights followed by the opportunity to capture high quality images with guidance from the tutor. The day will conclude with an informal, friendly discussion about your achievements from the day and a chance to ask further questions. Anyone wishing to improve…
Find out more »Introduction to Ferns and some Associated Organisms
This is a one-day course to introduce and develop understanding of ferns and to develop skills in their identification. It is aimed at beginners. The number of species in this group and the apparent similarity between many of them can make them daunting. The terminology itself can seem impenetrable. However, this course is intended to show that, with a little help, these obstacles can be overcome, opening the door to a fascinating group of organisms able to tell us much…
Find out more »Botanical Art: Virtual Drawing and Painting with Jenny Brooks
This six week virtual course with senior associate Jenny Brooks Dip.AD, ATC is suitable for beginners as well as returning students. Progress is via the steady development of drawing skills, observational drawing from plant specimens and water colour techniques, using sketchbooks for preparatory work. More advanced students carry out monthly assignments of increasing complexity to further the development of their own work. This autumn term’s classes take place on Mondays online from Monday 2nd November 2020 from 1.00pm - 4.30pm.…
Find out more »Botanical Art: Virtual Drawing and Painting with Jenny Brooks
This eight week virtual course with senior associate Jenny Brooks Dip.AD, ATC is suitable for beginners as well as returning students. Progress is via the steady development of drawing skills, observational drawing from plant specimens and water colour techniques, using sketchbooks for preparatory work. More advanced students carry out monthly assignments of increasing complexity to further the development of their own work. This spring term’s classes take place on Mondays online from Monday 11th January 2020 from 1.00pm - 4.30pm.…
Find out more »Drawn to Nature: with Sheena Vallely and Pick Up a Pencil group
This is a drawing course designed to develop your confidence in drawing and improve your drawing skills using the plants growing around you. It will give you a chance to immerse yourself in a shared experience of drawing, to allow your mind to switch off from the current alterations to our daily life and engage with the restorative powers of nature. For the present, the course will be conducted via our designated drawing group on Whatsapp and email. Every week…
Find out more »Botanical Art: Virtual Drawing and Painting with Jenny Brooks
This eight week virtual course with senior associate Jenny Brooks Dip.AD, ATC is suitable for beginners as well as returning students. Progress is via the steady development of drawing skills, observational drawing from plant specimens and water colour techniques, using sketchbooks for preparatory work. More advanced students carry out monthly assignments of increasing complexity to further the development of their own work. This summer term’s classes take place on Mondays online from Monday 26th April 2021 from 1.00pm - 4.30pm.…
Find out more »Introduction to Bryophytes
This is a one-day course to introduce and develop understanding of bryophytes and to develop skills in their identification. It is aimed at beginners. The number of species in this group and the apparent similarity between many of them can make them daunting for a novice. The terminology itself can seem impenetrable. However, this course is intended to show that, with a little help, these obstacles can be overcome, opening the door to a fascinating group of organisms able to…
Find out more »Introduction to Ferns and some Associated Organisms
This is a one-day course to introduce and develop understanding of ferns and to develop skills in their identification. It is aimed at beginners. The number of species in this group and the apparent similarity between many of them can make them daunting. The terminology itself can seem impenetrable. However, this course is intended to show that, with a little help, these obstacles can be overcome, opening the door to a fascinating group of organisms able to tell us much…
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