Organic Food Growing Course - 6 week practical course
Carshalton Community Allotment, Colston Avenue, Carshalton SM5 3NX
3 May 2025 | Accredited
If you are just starting out, or would like to get some more detailed knowledge of organic food growing, then this course is for you. Over 6 weeks you will learn everything you need to know to confidently grow your own fruit and veg. including:
Preparing your growing area the organic way
Planning what to grow including crop rotation
Planting techniques
Taking care of your plants without chemicals
Organic techniques and feeding your soil
Harvesting and storing produce
If you are just starting out, or would like to get some more detailed knowledge of organic food growing, then this course is for you. Over 6 weeks you will learn everything you need to know to confidently grow your own fruit and veg. including:
Preparing your growing area the organic way
Planning what to grow including crop rotation
Planting techniques
Taking care of your plants without chemicals
Organic techniques and feeding your soil
Harvesting and storing produce
Book 
Spring Open Day
Agnes Riley Garden, 73 Atkins Road, London
3 May 2025
Join us for a Spring Community Day at the Agnes Riley Community Garden! There’ll will be gardening activities, free seeds and compost, guided nature walks through the garden and wider park, arts and crafts, and light refreshments!
Join us for a Spring Community Day at the Agnes Riley Community Garden! There’ll will be gardening activities, free seeds and compost, guided nature walks through the garden and wider park, arts and crafts, and light refreshments!
Buddy Volunteer training
FFPG, 2nd Floor Ilford Chambers, 11 Chapel Road, Ilford, IG1 2DR
9 May 2025 | Accredited | Free
Becoming a buddy is an opportunity to gain skills and hands-on experience in support work and social and therapeutic gardening. The Buddy training is a free two day training combined with some online learning. Please apply by the 4th May.
Our ecotherapy program supports people with mental health recovery needs such as depression, anxiety and isolation. Buddies help to create a friendly and welcoming environment, enabling everyone to participate fully.
Becoming a buddy is an opportunity to gain skills and hands-on experience in support work and social and therapeutic gardening. The Buddy training is a free two day training combined with some online learning. Please apply by the 4th May.
Our ecotherapy program supports people with mental health recovery needs such as depression, anxiety and isolation. Buddies help to create a friendly and welcoming environment, enabling everyone to participate fully.
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Habitats and Planting for Pollinators
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
11 May 2025 | Accredited
with Benny Hawksbee
This workshop is designed to help you boost your wildlife gardening skill set - with a focus on wild pollinators.
We will look at bee identification; show you which species are likely to be around your area; where they might be nesting; and ways to get closer to them in general. We’ll also look at ecological gardening practices, with a large focus on insects and solitary bees, explaining how to boost/improve/maintain habitat and the number of species in your space.
with Benny Hawksbee
This workshop is designed to help you boost your wildlife gardening skill set - with a focus on wild pollinators.
We will look at bee identification; show you which species are likely to be around your area; where they might be nesting; and ways to get closer to them in general. We’ll also look at ecological gardening practices, with a large focus on insects and solitary bees, explaining how to boost/improve/maintain habitat and the number of species in your space.
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Growing in Small Spaces
The Vine Road Pavillion, Vine Road Recreation Ground, Vine Road, Barnes
17 May 2025 | Accredited
The reality of living in an urban area is that many of us do not have access to a large growing space. You might have a balcony, a few containers or even just a windowsill. You might be renting and need to create a garden you can easily dismantle and move. But you can grow something in almost any situation. In this workshop, we will look at tips for growing successfully in these spaces, what plants work well and how you can grow your own food even if you only have a windowsill!
The reality of living in an urban area is that many of us do not have access to a large growing space. You might have a balcony, a few containers or even just a windowsill. You might be renting and need to create a garden you can easily dismantle and move. But you can grow something in almost any situation. In this workshop, we will look at tips for growing successfully in these spaces, what plants work well and how you can grow your own food even if you only have a windowsill!
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Plant Health the organic way - one day workshop
EcoLocal The Lodge, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3NX
31 May 2025 | Accredited
From mini-beasts to mega-beasts, diseases & nutrient deficiencies, it can feel as though our plants are under constant attack! This information-packed workshop will help you identify friend from foe and bid farewell to chemical interventions. This workshop gives you the knowledge you need to navigate your way to a thriving and pest-free plot.
From mini-beasts to mega-beasts, diseases & nutrient deficiencies, it can feel as though our plants are under constant attack! This information-packed workshop will help you identify friend from foe and bid farewell to chemical interventions. This workshop gives you the knowledge you need to navigate your way to a thriving and pest-free plot.
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Introduction to Mushroom Growing
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place, SE173BN
31 May 2025 | Accredited
Join us in learning about the fascinating world of mushrooms and fungi, and create your own take home oyster mushroom bag.
Local expert Adi will share his experiences as a mushroom forager and grower, and you’ll discover mushrooms’ hidden secrets, explore their vital role in nature, and gain a deep appreciation for their incredible diversity; and leave with the knowledge and skills to begin on your own mushroom cultivation journey.
Join us in learning about the fascinating world of mushrooms and fungi, and create your own take home oyster mushroom bag.
Local expert Adi will share his experiences as a mushroom forager and grower, and you’ll discover mushrooms’ hidden secrets, explore their vital role in nature, and gain a deep appreciation for their incredible diversity; and leave with the knowledge and skills to begin on your own mushroom cultivation journey.
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2 Day Introduction to Gardening
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
7 Jun 2025 | Accredited
We'll guide you through the approaches and essential knowledge that will help you to become a successful gardener. This is the first session we recommend to all with little or no gardening experience, and especially those hoping to begin gardening at home in their houses, balconies, or gardens. Join us in our award-winning and sumptuously-planted garden for this primary insight into the fundamentals of sustainable and future-facing gardening.
We'll guide you through the approaches and essential knowledge that will help you to become a successful gardener. This is the first session we recommend to all with little or no gardening experience, and especially those hoping to begin gardening at home in their houses, balconies, or gardens. Join us in our award-winning and sumptuously-planted garden for this primary insight into the fundamentals of sustainable and future-facing gardening.
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Gardening for Wildlife
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
15 Jun 2025
Explore the role gardeners can play in enhancing the miraculous relationship between the plants and animals in our spaces. During the session you will gain insight into simple, achievable actions that can help you to encourage wildlife in your garden and learn to adopt a more relaxed attitude to the way you manage your space. Alongside practical demonstrations of our own radical ‘nature-first’ approach, we aim to discuss current trends in sustainable gardening, with a critical approach.
Explore the role gardeners can play in enhancing the miraculous relationship between the plants and animals in our spaces. During the session you will gain insight into simple, achievable actions that can help you to encourage wildlife in your garden and learn to adopt a more relaxed attitude to the way you manage your space. Alongside practical demonstrations of our own radical ‘nature-first’ approach, we aim to discuss current trends in sustainable gardening, with a critical approach.
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Mushroom Cultivation Workshop - from Spore to Mushroom
The Remakery, 51 Lilford Road, London, SE5 9HY
21 Jun 2025 | Accredited
Learn how to grow mushrooms from spores with Adi on Saturday, 21st of June from 13:00 - 16:30.
Do you want to learn how to start growing specialty and medicinal mushrooms? Besides engaging with fascinating facts about mushrooms and fungi, you'll have hands-on fun by creating your own grain spawn that you can then take home to grow Oyster mushrooms. You will be able to learn how to work in a mycology lab to create cultures from spores or clones and learn about how to produce grain spawn.
Learn how to grow mushrooms from spores with Adi on Saturday, 21st of June from 13:00 - 16:30.
Do you want to learn how to start growing specialty and medicinal mushrooms? Besides engaging with fascinating facts about mushrooms and fungi, you'll have hands-on fun by creating your own grain spawn that you can then take home to grow Oyster mushrooms. You will be able to learn how to work in a mycology lab to create cultures from spores or clones and learn about how to produce grain spawn.
Book
Summer prune your currants half-day workshop
Carshalton Community Allotment, Colston Avenue, Carshalton SM5 3NX
28 Jun 2025 | Accredited
Summer pruning rewards your efforts with healthier, more productive currant bushes that give better quality fruit without using up too much of the plant’s resources. Mid-summer is the ideal time to do your summer pruning, and our short, practical workshop will give you the skills and confidence you need to tackle your own fruit garden.
Summer pruning rewards your efforts with healthier, more productive currant bushes that give better quality fruit without using up too much of the plant’s resources. Mid-summer is the ideal time to do your summer pruning, and our short, practical workshop will give you the skills and confidence you need to tackle your own fruit garden.
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Botany in a Day
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
29 Jun 2025
New gardeners often ask, what is botany? How is it different from horticulture?
Botany simply refers to the ‘study of’ plants, where horticulture focuses on the ‘practice of’ managing and maintaining plants. In this discussion-based session, we will be exploring the theory and science of plants, and learning ten basic rules of botany which will change not only the way you look at your own plants, but how you view the entire natural world around you. Open to all skill and knowledge level
New gardeners often ask, what is botany? How is it different from horticulture?
Botany simply refers to the ‘study of’ plants, where horticulture focuses on the ‘practice of’ managing and maintaining plants. In this discussion-based session, we will be exploring the theory and science of plants, and learning ten basic rules of botany which will change not only the way you look at your own plants, but how you view the entire natural world around you. Open to all skill and knowledge level
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Learning to Bud Graft Fruit Trees
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
5 Jul 2025 | Accredited
Bud-grafting is something that few amateur gardeners seem to attempt, yet the principle is relatively simple. Like many things, it just takes practice and understanding of the theory behind the magic! Learn how to propagate apple and pear fruit trees by bud grafting in this practical workshop and leave with your own bud grafted tree.
Suitable for those who have some basic gardening knowledge and experience.
Bud-grafting is something that few amateur gardeners seem to attempt, yet the principle is relatively simple. Like many things, it just takes practice and understanding of the theory behind the magic! Learn how to propagate apple and pear fruit trees by bud grafting in this practical workshop and leave with your own bud grafted tree.
Suitable for those who have some basic gardening knowledge and experience.
Book
Introduction to Gardening
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
12 Jul 2025
We'll guide you through the approaches and essential knowledge that will help you to become a successful gardener. This is the first session we recommend to all with little or no gardening experience, and especially those hoping to begin gardening at home. Join us in our award-winning and sumptuously-planted garden for this primary insight into the fundamentals of sustainable and future-facing gardening. We also allow (and encourage!) plenty of time for questions, and welcome discussion.
We'll guide you through the approaches and essential knowledge that will help you to become a successful gardener. This is the first session we recommend to all with little or no gardening experience, and especially those hoping to begin gardening at home. Join us in our award-winning and sumptuously-planted garden for this primary insight into the fundamentals of sustainable and future-facing gardening. We also allow (and encourage!) plenty of time for questions, and welcome discussion.
Book
Wildlife Pond Making
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
19 Jul 2025 | Accredited
One of the most effective things you can do for a garden’s ecosystem is create a wildlife pond, and we believe every garden should have one, no matter how small. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, and the rewards are endless. During this session you’ll learn how to create and maintain a wildlife pond for even the smallest of spaces, from something as simple as a bucket, to the benefit of your garden and local wildlife.
One of the most effective things you can do for a garden’s ecosystem is create a wildlife pond, and we believe every garden should have one, no matter how small. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, and the rewards are endless. During this session you’ll learn how to create and maintain a wildlife pond for even the smallest of spaces, from something as simple as a bucket, to the benefit of your garden and local wildlife.
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Sustainable and Resilient Succession Planting
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
27 Jul 2025
Succession planting in garden design is about planning the layout to ensure a continuous display of plants in bloom or something of interest. It involves carefully selecting and positioning plant varieties that will flower or showcase distinctive features at different times. This session will give you an insight into the techniques in how you can create a dynamic display that changes with the seasons by integrating plants with varying flowering periods, foliage textures, and colours.
Succession planting in garden design is about planning the layout to ensure a continuous display of plants in bloom or something of interest. It involves carefully selecting and positioning plant varieties that will flower or showcase distinctive features at different times. This session will give you an insight into the techniques in how you can create a dynamic display that changes with the seasons by integrating plants with varying flowering periods, foliage textures, and colours.
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2 Day Workshop: Designing a London Garden
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
9 Aug 2025 | Accredited
Dedicated to growing and gardening in London’s unique micro-climate, this workshop will guide you through making the most of the city’s capabilities, from planning and design to fruition. Working with nature and ever mindful of the impact we gardeners can have on the environment, this workshop will help you look at your own site through the eyes of a pro, understand its potential, the practical steps you might take to see it take shape, and all the challenges you might encounter on the way.
Dedicated to growing and gardening in London’s unique micro-climate, this workshop will guide you through making the most of the city’s capabilities, from planning and design to fruition. Working with nature and ever mindful of the impact we gardeners can have on the environment, this workshop will help you look at your own site through the eyes of a pro, understand its potential, the practical steps you might take to see it take shape, and all the challenges you might encounter on the way.
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Container Gardening
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
17 Aug 2025 | Accredited
This workshop is designed to share the methods to growing within the confines of containers, and transforming them into scaled-down gardens. We will decipher some of the skills, knowledge, and terminology to help you compose successful, long-lasting container gardens, from window boxes to small outdoor balconies and gardens.
This workshop is designed to share the methods to growing within the confines of containers, and transforming them into scaled-down gardens. We will decipher some of the skills, knowledge, and terminology to help you compose successful, long-lasting container gardens, from window boxes to small outdoor balconies and gardens.
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Autumn/Winter Vegetable Growing
Walworth Garden, 206 Manor Place. SE173BN
31 Aug 2025 | Accredited
While we often think of food growing as a spring and summer pursuit, almost all growing spaces have the capacity to continue growing delicious vegetables all the way through winter.
Learn basic organic food growing principles and techniques and leave ready to keep your vegetable plants feeding you through the year. You’ll discover how to grow healthier, more abundant crops that can have additional benefits to wildlife in London, and help you become more self-sufficient
While we often think of food growing as a spring and summer pursuit, almost all growing spaces have the capacity to continue growing delicious vegetables all the way through winter.
Learn basic organic food growing principles and techniques and leave ready to keep your vegetable plants feeding you through the year. You’ll discover how to grow healthier, more abundant crops that can have additional benefits to wildlife in London, and help you become more self-sufficient
Book
10-week Gardening Fundamentals evening course with EcoLocal
EcoLocal The Lodge, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3NX
4 Sep 2025 | Accredited
We have an exciting new gardening course at EcoLocal. Our RHS qualified and award-winning Horticultural tutor has developed a 10-week classroom-based evening course called ‘Gardening Fundamentals’ that takes you through the full range of gardening activities, from looking after and improving soil to pruning, propagation, design and keeping plants healthy. This new course will run on a Thursday evening between 7 and 9pm for 10 consecutive weeks between 4th September and 6th November 2025.
We have an exciting new gardening course at EcoLocal. Our RHS qualified and award-winning Horticultural tutor has developed a 10-week classroom-based evening course called ‘Gardening Fundamentals’ that takes you through the full range of gardening activities, from looking after and improving soil to pruning, propagation, design and keeping plants healthy. This new course will run on a Thursday evening between 7 and 9pm for 10 consecutive weeks between 4th September and 6th November 2025.
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Forest Gardening Course (Level 2 Award)
19-21 Garden Walk, London, EC2A 3EQ
8 Sep 2025 | Accredited
Learn the skills you need to design, create and manage a forest garden with our seven month accredited online course, featuring the videos of Martin Crawford.
Learn from videos, handouts, interactive quizzes and online assessments leading you to qualify for a Level 2 Award in Forest Gardening.
Supporting the online materials are seven interactive online tutorials.
Cost £570 - £800 payment by monthly instalments is available.
Learn the skills you need to design, create and manage a forest garden with our seven month accredited online course, featuring the videos of Martin Crawford.
Learn from videos, handouts, interactive quizzes and online assessments leading you to qualify for a Level 2 Award in Forest Gardening.
Supporting the online materials are seven interactive online tutorials.
Cost £570 - £800 payment by monthly instalments is available.
Book
