Ref: S1D36571
Growing your own cut flowers brings the satisfaction of both ornamental and productive gardening. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of establishing and maintaining a cutting garden, and how to cultivate a range of flowers from propagation to harvest.
The day is focussed on the work practised by George and his colleagues in the Walled Garden at West Dean, giving an insight into their approach to creating a beautiful growing environment which provides stems for cutting over a long season.
George will discuss the qualities that make a good cut flower, including his favourite varieties, and the key tasks to help you grow them successfully at home. The course emphasises growing as a year-round occupation, nurturing soil health and biodiversity to support healthy plant growth without using harmful controls or chemicals. You will learn how to be efficient in the use of time and resources, with tips and techniques that can be tailored to any scale or situation.
At an abundant time of year in the cutting garden, the day concludes with the opportunity for you to harvest and take home some favourite stems from West Dean.
On this course the tutor will supply most of the materials including handouts. He will use materials from West Dean Gardens for the purposes of demonstration.
Please wear appropriate clothing for being out in the gardens in any weather, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).
Timetable
Student registration: 9am
Course teaching: 9.15am - 5pm
Lunch is included
George joined the West Dean Gardens team as a trainee in 2021, after completing the RHS Diploma at Plumpton College and an internship at Sarah Raven’s Cutting Garden. Now the Senior Gardener managing the Walled Garden at West Dean, he enjoys pursuing his equal passions for ornamental and productive horticulture.
