Welcome to

Asterion & Co.

Heritage-Inspired Learning™
in the Somerset Countryside

Explore Our Courses
Explore Our Courses
Kitchen Garden Open Days
Kitchen Garden Open Days
A logo featuring a muscular anthropomorphic creature with a lion's head and horns, kneeling and holding a large ancient-style vase on a pedestal, set against a brown circular background.

Small-group, hands-on days in gardening, art, cookery and craft

With a seated lunch and afternoon tea

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View 2026 Courses

Upcoming Courses

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View All 2026 Courses

What Our Guests Say

  • A woman with short blonde hair, wearing a maroon sweater and a checkered collared shirt, sitting outdoors at a table, holding a mug and smiling. Behind her is a garden with green tomato plants.

    "A warm and generous day of learning, and growing in confidence."

    BRIDGET

  • Three people outdoors among green trees, smiling. The woman in the center wears a gray cap and black jacket. The person on the left wears a black hat and jacket, and the person on the right wears an orange hoodie, both partially visible.

    "I'll definitely be back for more courses. Inspiring teaching in a setting that stays with you."

    RHIAN-MARI

  • Two older adults, a woman with glasses and a man with a beard, sitting at a dining table inside a glass-enclosed garden, with green plants visible outside. The man, labeled 'TREV', is holding a piece of bread and smiling, while the woman has sunglasses on her head and is looking to the side.

    Expert teaching, a beautiful house and garden, and a memorable lunch and afternoon tea."

    DINAH & TREVOR

What to expect from a day at Asterion & Co.

Leading practitioners

Shared accomplishment

Expert-led craftsmanship

Seated lunch
& afternoon tea

Freshly prepared food

Conversation & camaraderie

Rooted in tradition

Thoughtfully shaped for today

Heritage-Inspired Learning™

Five women standing indoors in front of black and white artwork, all holding sketches of botanical drawings on white paper, with a dining table in front of them decorated with various items.

Intentionally
small groups

Individual guidance

Care & integrity in how we work

Join the
Asterion Circle

Explore our guilds…

Our courses are organised into four evolving guilds, each offering a distinct way into heritage-inspired learning at The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset.

For those drawn to the productive garden.

Practical growing for fruit, vegetables and herbs, rooted in the seasons.

Gardening Club

View Gardening Courses
View Gardening Courses

A space for observation and making.

Train the eye. Let your hands flourish.

Art Salon

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View Art Courses

A place for clothing, styling and jewellery.

Repair, refine and make pieces your own.

Style Atelier

View Atelier Courses
View Atelier Courses

A place for food and the table.

Build skill in cooking and the rhythms of the kitchen.

Kitchen Forum

View Kitchen Forum Courses
View Kitchen Forum Courses

Updates from
The Asterion Journal

Asterion & Co. on Instagram

A new season is arriving in the garden and the studio, and with it a small run of Heritage-Inspired Learning™ days designed to bring you closer to the craft, rhythm and pleasure of making and growing well. Join us this April in Leigh-on-Mendip
Snake’s Head Fritillary in a meadow If you get this right, they don’t just grow — they settle in and become part of the place. 🌧️ Moisture matters Damp in spring is essential. Think traditional hay meadow, not dry wildflower bank
Top tips for growing the Snake’s Head Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) in a meadow… 🌧️ 1. Moisture is everything: They want damp in spring, not dry | Think: traditional hay meadow, not a dry wildflower bank | If your ground dries out
🌱Join us for a day of practical gardening and hands-on learning — a fully guided masterclass with all materials provided and a seated lunch at the heart of the day. There is something transformative about growing under cover. Extending the se
A year or so ago my friend, Sarah @beehive52 in a visit to Asterion & Co. said, “this place needs a dog.” She was right. Ariadne, or Ari for short, is now eight months old and very much part of life at the Old Vicarage. She’s f
🦅Join us for a day of live painting, observation and creative immersion — a fully guided masterclass working directly from a bird of prey, with all materials provided, a seated lunch, and your finished artwork professionally framed to take hom
Join us for a day immersed in the soft fruit garden — combining practical pruning skills with generous hospitality, seasonal produce and time well spent outdoors. There is something deeply satisfying about soft fruit. The anticipation of the s
🌱Join us for a two-day kitchen garden experience — combining practical learning with generous hospitality, from hands-on teaching to shared lunches around the table. Early spring is where the gardening year is truly won. Before the abundance