Gardening for a Sustainable Future

GARDENING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Gardens cover an area greater than all the nature reserves in the UK and as gardeners we are stewards of this land. Using CAT's unique blend of horticultural and environmental expertise we will look at gardening in relation to the issues of biodiversity and climate change, how they affect us as gardeners and what we can do to make positive changes within our gardens and for the wider world. The course will cover horticultural techniques such as seed saving, use of green manures and beneficial fungi. We will look at the structure of the garden, choice of materials and how to design the ultimate eco garden. Suitable for those with some gardening experience and for professional gardeners who wish to take a more environmental approach. This can be taken as a follow-on from the 'Introduction to Organic Gardening' course. COURSE OUTLINE Day 1 1600 onwards: arrival. Please ask at reception or in the restaurant for directions toyour room. 1800 Supper in restaurant. 1900 Introductions to the Centre, the course, and each other. 2000 Gardens and our place in the environment - an introduction to the issues of climate change and biodiversity and our place as gardeners. Day 2 0830 Breakfast in restaurant. 0900 The CAT gardens. A look at some gardens of different sizes and methods. How and why we garden as we do. 1030 Coffee in restaurant. 1100 Gardening and climate change: What climate change means to gardeners - how it will affect us, and why gardeners are crucial to combating climate change. Practical responses to climate change - water conservation, soil health (green manures, mulches, mycchorhiza), choosing our plants, our garden carbon footprint. 1300 Lunch in restaurant 1400 Gardening and wildlife: How wildlife helps gardens and gardens can help wildlife, good practices in the wildlife friendly garden. A look around site at some examples. 1530 Tea in restaurant. 1600 The biodiversity of cultivated plants: How and why cultivated plants are under threat. Fruit - the national collections and conservation of local varieties. The seed saving movement - what we can do to protect vegetable varieties. Some examples of seed saving projects. How to save seed - theory and practice. 1800 Supper in restaurant 2000 Optional evening session: Melissa Harvey on organic systems and their stability in the face of disaster - a study in Sri Lanka. Day 3 0830 Breakfast in restaurant. 0900 The Eco House and Garden: Garden design to optimise the balance of usefulness, wildlife and recreation with enhancement of environmental values. Bringing it all together - what are the most eco things to do in our gardens? Where do we all go from here? 1100 Tea in restaurant. 1130 Designing your eco-garden. A how-to look at garden design. A walk around site to see it in practice. Resources, help and further info. 1300 Lunch in restaurant then depart COURSE TUTORS Chloe Ward: Senior Display Gardener at CAT and formerly Deputy Head Gardener at Garden Organic Yalding, with responsibility for fruit and wildlife gardening. Melissa Harvey: CAT's Information Officer and specialist in organic agriculture, resilience and disaster recovery. Roger McLennan: CAT's Head Gardener, vegetable growing expert with over 30 years' experience. Sue Stickland: formerly head gardener at Garden Organic and author of innumerable garden books such as Back Garden Seed Saving, Growing Under Glass, The Small Ecological Garden, Heirloom Vegetables and Perfect Roses, Green Essentials. Zena Wilmot: Aberystwyth University, specialist in biodiversity and mycorrhizas. FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION The course fee covers full board accommodation at CAT, tuition and course materials. All food is vegetarian, and we are happy to cater for special diets - please let us know your requirements when booking. There are a small number of single rooms available at an extra cost of £10 per night. Please indicate when you book if you would like a single room. ACCOMMODATION FOR NON-PARTICIPANTS Depending on course numbers it is sometimes possible to accommodate friends and family. The cost for a non-participant is £38 per day WHAT TO BRING We provide bedding but you will need to bring a towel. A torch is useful for moving between buildings at night. Please bring clothing suitable for a Welsh summer - wet weather gear, sun hats and sun cream; strong footwear is also advisable as we are based in an old slate quarry.