Edible Landscaping

Courses include practical sessions in the tutor’s garden. Edible Landscaping students help themselves to an abundant raspberry crop.

Courses & Workshops

Edible Landscaping offers unique gardening courses and gardening workshops that will enable you to learn all aspects of designing, maintaining and enjoying your own edible garden. Courses can be tailor made for your organisation and be taught within your premises. The longer courses offer an in depth and thorough guide to permaculture gardening and my unique approach to teaching this subject. Some of these courses are university accredited. Alternatively, experience the great outdoors and go for the workshops based at my edible garden and permaculture landscape in south Wales. Please see student feedback on then courses
at the end of this page.

Courses

Coming very soon to the Edible Landscaping Garden...

• D.I.Y. Solar Oven Workshop with Mark Jenkins of Sustainability Education and the HANDS ON collective* will be showing how to make a solar oven from scratch on Saturday 31st July at the Edible Landscaping Garden. Lunch provided & cooked in solar oven [‘one we made earlier’]. This workshop is really hands on with everyone participating in the construction. Have a look on Riverside Community Allotment Project for their Facebook photos showing the making of a solar oven there:
  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27075907877#!/group.php?gid=27075907877&v=photos&so=645Please email Michele on ediblelandscaping@googlemail.com for a booking form. We can only take a maximum of 12 people on this workshop so please be quick. Courses fill up fast! Prices: £35
  
  Pick & Cook Workshop with Deri Reed, [www.ethicalchef.co.uk], vegetarian Chef at Milgi and creator of the sensational local food vegetarian evenings at Milgi and Michele Fitzsimmons, of Edible Landscaping and the HANDS ON collective* on Saturday 14th August. Harvest what's in season from Edible Landscaping's wonderful garden and create some great dishes. Finish off with dining on your magnificent results and a glass of Edible Landscaping’s home made wine. A relaxed fun day of glorying in nature's bounty. We can only take a maximum of 7 on this workshop and it is expected to fill up quickly. Please email Michele on ediblelandscaping@googlemail.com for a booking form. Prices: £40
  
  
  
  
  *HANDS ON is a new group set up with the aim of reintroducing a range of essential skills which will equip us to be more self reliant and resourceful in an uncertain future. Our network provides workshops and courses taught by the leading experts as well as opportunities to share skills more informally. HANDS ON can be contacted via 029 20229336 or handsoncardiff@gmail.com. As well as the above, HANDS ON is offering a range of courses and workshops including: DIY Wind Turbine, Eco Building, Knitting, Bicycle Maintenance and Practical Gardening. We are also looking to expand our network of trainers so if you train in specific skills and are interested in joining us then please contact us. We meet regularly and are in the process of setting ourselves up more formally. For more info please click on this link: Hands On Info Sheet.
  

• Edible Landscaping – The Fruit Garden (20 hours)
  Learn how to design, create and maintain a low maintenance edible garden focusing on fruit trees, soft fruit and shade tolerant leafy plants. Based on permaculture principles, this Fruit Gardening Course will take you through: designing and drawing up plans for your garden and maintenance needs - including pruning, pest management & pollination requirements. Lots of visual aids used with practical exercises included.
  START DATE: 30th September
  COURSE DURATION: 20 hours
  TIME: 7 – 9pm
  VENUE: The Centre for Lifelong Learning, Senghennydd road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF244AG
  For enrolment forms and general course enquiries contact the Centre for Lifelong Learning reception on: Tel: 0292087 0000 / Fax: 0292066 8935 / Email: learn@cardiff.ac.uk
  Website: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn
  For course content enquiries contact: ediblelandscaping@googlemail.com - for syllabus & further information
  
  Residential Permaculture Design Course (80 hours)
  Coed Hills Rural Artspace
  September 13th - 18th / 20th - 25th
  Coed Hills Rural Artspace is situated in the picturesque Vale of Glamorgan, just 8 miles west of Cardiff, in an area packed with ancient history and breathtaking beaches. Starting life as an artist community a little over 10 years ago, sustainability and permaculture have become central to the shape of the community and its plans for the future. The residents try to live as lightly on the earth as is possible. Site facilities include compost toilets, solar shower, biomass heated underfloor gallery and bathroom, a Wetland Ecosystem Treatment (WET) that works in a similar way to a reed bed but with much more biodiversity. They also have a 100 acre woodland, full size stone circle, sawmill, a forge, a very active green wood workshop with steambox and a shire horse Brigan who is being trained to tow logs out of the forest. There is a newly planted edible forest garden and nearby Riverside Community Market Association has started up a social enterprise growing organic veg for a box scheme and Riverside Community Market.

• Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human habitats. The aim is to create systems that are ecologically sound and economically viable which do not exploit or pollute and are therefore sustainable in the long term. Permaculture is rooted in an understanding of how natural systems work and draws its principles and guidance from nature’s ecosystems. Permaculture gardening and farming is about creating a cultivated ecology which is designed to produce more human and animal food than is generally found in nature. Permaculture is an eclectic but integrated design strategy which draws on a range of philosophies and ideas both from traditional practice and cutting edge new technologies.

  The course will enable you to understand how to create integrated systems using permaculture principles.
  
  Course topics include:
  Permaculture ethics and principles
  Observation of outside and inside influences
  Spatial zoning
  Forest gardening
  Edible landscaping
  Secrets of the soil
  Integrated pest management
  Appropriate & renewable energy technologies
  Alternative economic systems
  Sustainable building techniques
  Permaculture design briefs [done in small groups towards the end of the course]

• Lead tutor: Michele Fitzsimmons - www.ediblelandscaping.co.uk
  Michele Fitzsimmons developed her business Edible Landscaping shortly after completing her Permaculture Designer’s Certificate in 1992. Since then she has worked as a designer and consultant for many different projects. These include integrated farm designs, school wildlife gardens, community gardens and household kitchen gardens. One of most recent project, is a Whole School Permaculture plan for Edwardsville Primary School, one of the largest sustainable school landscape designs in the UK and is currently designing an edible landscape for the front of Chapter Arts Centre.

  Guest lectures include:
  • Appropriate & renewable energy technologies by Richard Drover [TBC]
  • WET Wetland Ecosystem Treatment (as featured on BBC Radio 4’s The Archers) with “Tree-bog” Jay of
  pBiologic Design
  • Grow Sheffield and the Abundance Project with Stephen Watts [TBC]
  • Ian Brown from Rounded Developments on eco building
  • Molly Scott Cato of Gaian Economics and author of Market Schmarket on alternative economics
  • Beekeeping with Charly Le Marchant
  • Forest Gardening with Jess Clynewood
  • The Importance of Fungi with Rich Wright
  

• PRICES: [including all meals and camping]
  £750 - organisation/company sponsored rate
  £650 - waged
  £550 - low waged
  £490 - unwaged

  To reserve your place please go to the web site: http://www.coedhills.co.uk - follow the links from courses to the permaculture design course and scroll to the end of the page for the form. For more information please call Charly Le Marchant on 01446 774084 / 07768 881157 or email coedcourses@gmail.com.
  
  

• Growing Veg from Scratch (30 hours) [please see also a shorter version of this course in the workshop section below]

  A completely practical gardening course, that gets right back to basics - growing plants from seed. The course includes seed germination techniques, creating the right compost for different seeds, correct watering, pricking out and potting on seedlings, constructing a bean trellis, sheet mulching, preparing a seed bed, sowing directly and lots lots more. If you are interested in learning about starting plants from seed then please send me an email. If enough people want to take part then a course can be organised.
  

• Business Bloomers (course designed around client & project needs)

  Get your workforce motivated to improve the grounds of their workplace through creative consultation & expert guidance. The course is completely tailor made to suit you, your workforce and your business so please email me to discuss your business needs and the course with you further.

Workshops

Except when otherwise indicated all workshops are held at the Edible Landscaping Garden in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales
(only a 15 minute train journey from Cardiff Central,  60 minutes from Bristol & a little over 2 hours from London)

• Foraging for Wild Food (5 hours)

  Learn about the range of seasonal wild food available in May in an in depth presentation by edible plants expert, Michele Fitzsimmons. Take a walk around the extensive grounds of the National Folk Museum of Wales to identify and gather the edible wild plants occurring in May. Take back the bounty and make a tasty Wild Weed Salad and a delicious Cream of Nettle soup. The workshop to place at The National Folk Museum of Wales, is scheduled for this autumn details to follow soon... Please click on this schedule from the May wild food walk for more info.

• Pick & Cook (6 hours)

  Harvest what's in season from Edible Landscaping's wonderful garden and create some great dishes. Finish off with dining on your magnificent results and a glass of organic wine or cider. A relaxed fun day of glorying in nature's bounty. The next Pick & Cook Workshop is scheduled for Saturday August 14th 2010.
  
  

• Weeds are Wonderful! (6 hours)

  Learn about forage gardening. This workshop includes identifying weed species & their uses, setting up a weed liquid manure system & making a perennial and weed salad. The next Weeds are Wonderful! Workshop is scheduled for Saturday April 17th 2010.
  
  

• Powerful Predators (6 hours)

  Learn how to manage your pests in an environmentally friendly way. This workshop includes natural pest management & integrated pest management (IPM), understanding & identifying pests & pest predators, creating wildlife habitats, biodiversity & wildlife friendly gardening techniques. The next Powerful Predators Workshop is scheduled for Saturday July 17th 2010.
  
  

• The Secrets of the Soil (6 hours)

  Learn about just what is going in that soil of yours. The workshop covers basic soil science, soil management, composting and the eco friendly and no-dig technique of sheet mulching. The next The Secrets of the Soil Workshop is scheduled for Saturday April 3rd 2010.
  
  
  

• Indelible Designs (6 hours)

  Want to sort out your garden but just don't know where to start? This workshop is the answer to your cry for help. The workshop includes assessing the potential of your garden, different garden design techniques (including non drawing techniques), how to brainstorm successfully with yourself, spider diagrams and mind mapping, measuring & drawing to scale, garden design on paper, plus expert advice on how you can improve the design of your garden. The next Indelible Designs Workshop is scheduled for Saturday April 24th 2010.
  
  

• Growing Veg from Scratch (6 hours) A fast track, simplified version of the 30 hour course (see above).

  A completely practical gardening workshop, that gets right back to basics - growing plants from seed. The course includes seed germination techniques, creating the right compost for different seeds, correct watering, sheet mulching, preparing a seed bed and sowing directly. Seasonal variation may affect the above list of activities. The next Growing Veg from Scratch Workshop is scheduled for Saturday July 24th 2010.
  

General info:
Course prices vary but are competitively priced - please enquire. Workshops cost £30 per person and run with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10. Special courses can be arranged if you have a group who would like to attend. Just let me know if you would like to take part and I will get back to you with all the details.

Student feedback from courses:
"Clear delivery, good visual aids,useful practical work" edible perennial garden edible gardening aromatic herbs "Michele is really entertaining, had fun in the soil game"edible perennial garden edible gardening aromatic herbs "The course was informative, well structured and well run. Entertaining but also really useful." welsh garden "Thanks for a really brilliant course which has given me the confidence to start gardening." ipm welsh garden "The observation exercise was a revelation. I did not know how little I understood soil science and how I was getting it wrong. I now appreciate the value of flowers in pest control." ipm gardening edible gardens aromatics "Michele makes even watering your garden interesting." edible perennial garden edible gardening aromatic
"My questions were all answered very clearly." edible perennial garden edible gardening aromatic welsh
"Presentation of the course has been good. I have enjoyed gaining an understanding of the course and have learnt a lot about subjects which I haven't encountered." cardiff gardens gardening aromatic welsh plants
"It was well presented, easily understood. Enjoyed the practical aspects, also the availability to ask questions."
"I wasn't sure what to expect when I started the course but was amazed at the concepts discussed and also seen."
"Michele is very knowledgeable and obviously has a passion in this area which shows through in the teaching"i
"My thanks go to Michelle - I have never before experienced 'mulching' and its an experience I'll probably never forget! I have learnt a great deal and enjoyed sharing experiences with the rest of the group."

Permaculture Garden Tours

There are now opportunities to partake in a guided tour of my garden. The tour consists of a leisurely but informed walk around my garden. I will Introduce you to a variety of unusual edible plants including many ornamental edibles. There will be an opportunity to taste the various plants in my garden and discuss the methods I have used to create a permaculture garden. The tours lasts one and half hours and are conducted throughout the year. The tour costs £15 per participant and will run with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 participants. Please let me know via email if you would like to join in on a edible forest garden robert hart martin crawford art tour of my garden.

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