planting workshops

I have been running a series of planting workshops in the garden on Wednesday evenings.  The sessions have covered a range of topics; beansprouts and salad leaves, tomatoes and dwarf beans, wildflower pots, taking cuttings and houseplants.  At the workshops I 'show & tell', then the group gets to have a go themselves and take the results away to grow at home.  

The beansprout kits.  A taster selection of mung bean, spicy fenugreek and alfalfa,

the group smiles for the camera and at my confident 'you can't fail with these!" - and they didn't.

Salad leaves being sown in pots.  A cut and come again mix of salad leaves, 'Saladisi', and rocket.

 

The houseplants; offsets of the succulent Lace Aloe (Aloe aristata), small Begonia plants and tubers of a decorative Chinese yam.  Not much to look at at the moment but there will be soon.

 The cuttings workshop; softwood cuttings of Blackcurrant Sage, South African Daisy Bush and Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve'.  Pots of cuttings and mini-greenhouses in hand, the group pose - it's obligatory!

And photos emailed from group members show the results;

 Alfalfa sprouts - enough for a salad.

Cornfield annuals and cuttings.

Healthy courgette seedlings.

It has been great to see there's been so much success and the confidence of the group to grow new things has clearly increased.  We will be holding another series of workshops once I work out just what we'll be doing.  There have been requests from the group for; hot and sunny/windowsills and balconies,  deep shade/basement flats and growing plants from pips and stones.  For the last they may have to bring their own pips - I don't think everyone will want my slobber over everything.

   

Details on the garden website soon.