Upcoming events
Installations: Dried Meets Fresh
INSTALLATIONS: DRIED MEETS FRESH
- A CREATIVE RE-BOOT
As summer tips into autumn, join Fiona and Marianne for a day to exhale, pause and creatively recharge. Taking inspiration from sun-bleached stems and the garden’s autumn bounty, Fiona will guide us through her process for building foam-free, large scale installations, inspired by the season and the unusual ingredients she has gathered from the garden. Building a design within the walled garden’s Victorian glasshouse, Fiona will share ideas for installation mechanics, how to know when to stop (!) and how to build trust with a client.
The day will include a walk around the garden with Marianne to hear more about the ethos and vision for building this garden in the future. Lunch and snacks using ingredients from the garden are included. There are eight spaces available plus one fully funded place.
If you feel you and your business would benefit from taking part in the workshop but finances are a barrier then do email marianne@heeled.in with a brief explanation as to why the opportunity would benefit you by 15th August. Applications will be assessed and one applicant will be selected. For more information about eligibility for the place please see below.
Cost 420
Plant Swap
Bring your surplus plants (perennials preferred!) and take a different plant home with you.
This will be a low key meet up, a chance to connect to a community of other like-minded gardeners.
Entry is £5, you can book your place here. Scroll down for more details.
The walled garden at Old Lands is the largest garden I’ve ever been responsible for. And as I begin to plan more permanent planting for next season I am keen to find thrifty, meaningful ways of populating the garden. The garden has provided good numbers of volunteer plants I don’t need and would love to share with others - Hellebore Foetidus, Hollyhock, Hardy Geraniums, Verbascum, Feverfew etc. Rather than buy new, I love the idea of connecting plants with people. Cutting back an Aster in 3 years time and thinking of the conversation I had with the gardener who brought it. The words of encouragement I received alongside the seedlings or the armful of salvias I in turn sent them home with.
So much of gardening is about mangaging abundance and I would love to experience more of a community of sharing and swapping. The gravel paths here are choc full of volunteer plants that might cost £9.99 each in the garden centre. Come and take them home!
Some things to keep in mind.
This is not a launch or an NGS style open garden. I have barely got started at establishing beds, permanent planting or making a sense of place. BUT I’m really excited about the ideas and plans I do have and would love to share them with some kindred spirits.
Parking is limited on the estate. The wonderful Valerie at Dingestow Town Hall has given permission for people to park there - at a squeeze there might be room for 30 cars. It is a bit of a walk up to the garden from there so if you’re not up for walking perhaps buddy up with someone who can drop you off and then brave the walk or email me and we can see if we can ferry you up. There is perhaps room for 10 cars or so at the garden but I’ll keep those reserved for anyone with access requirements. Email marianne@heeled.in if that's you.
I am charging £5 to come, simply because space is limited and I want to avoid people impulsively booking who then can’t make it and spaces go unused. Tea/coffee will be available and all the plants I’ll have will be free to good homes.
What to Bring: Ideally I’d love everyone to bring at least 5 plants of their own and in a perfect world they would be perennial plants and not annual. These can be anything from your own garden you have a surplus of, don’t go and buy something!I can’t really get my head into seed swapping and coordinating that but if you have a surplus of something seedy feel free to bring that too.
This will be a low key meet up and a chance to connect to a community of other like minded gardeners - you don’t have to be remotely a professional to come. If you’re keen to see a garden at the height of its powers probably best to wait for another invitation in a season or two (or five!)!
I’ll email more detailed instructions and directions a week in advance. We are under 15 minutes from Monmouth. The event will run from 2-5pm.