Edimentals: The Art of Edible Ornamentals. A One-Day Course Culminating with an Evening Meal at Local Inn. 8th October 2026.

In collaboration with Pennard Plants and a local inn.

Join us for a day celebrating the extraordinary world of edimentals — plants that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Guided by horticulturist Chris Smith of Pennard Plants, a specialist Somerset nursery with one of the country’s most extensive ranges of edible ornamentals, this immersive one-day course explores how to grow, combine and enjoy these remarkable plants to bring richness, colour and flavour to both garden and table.

From chard and calendula to fennel, daylilies, nasturtiums and orache, edimentals reveal the deep connection between the aesthetic and the edible. Through demonstrations, hands-on planting, tasting sessions and discussion, you will learn how these striking plants can transform borders, kitchen gardens and containers while supporting biodiversity and expanding the culinary landscape.

This course runs twice: Thursday 8th October and Saturday 10th October.

After a day spent between the kitchen and garden at The Old Vicarage, guests are invited to join us later that evening at a local inn for a chef-prepared supper showcasing unusual edimentals — including preserved ingredients from the Asterion garden and fresh harvests gathered during the course. Our October courses form part of a wider Edimental Extravaganza Week hosted by the inn to highlight this often-overlooked source of flavour and inspiration.

What the day covers:

Understanding edimentals

• What defines an edimental and why these plants matter

• The spectrum of ornamental edibles, from heritage varieties to modern selections

• Soil, orientation and moisture requirements for reliable success

• How to grow edimentals in borders, raised beds and containers

Designing with edible ornamentals

• Using colour, texture and structure to create striking displays

• Designing mixed beds that work both visually and seasonally

• Creating your own edimental container to take home

Growing and practical techniques

• Choosing the right varieties for UK conditions

• Combining foliage and bloom to enhance both flavour and form

• Creating planting schemes that support pollinators and wildlife

Flavour, tasting and the sensory garden

• Guided tasting of fresh leaves and flowers

• Understanding the flavour profiles of ornamental edibles

• Identifying plants that elevate salads, garnishes and cooked dishes

• Appreciating the visual–culinary connection from garden to plate

Ecology and biodiversity

• How edimentals support pollinators, beneficial insects and garden resilience

• Choosing varieties that enrich soil life and garden structure

• Simple ways to incorporate more edible ornamentals at home

Hosted by Neil Crump (Founder of Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip — a beautifully reimagined 16th-century home with three acres of gardens, including a kitchen garden, productive edimental borders, and ornamental plantings. Guests will enjoy a garden lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

As the course draws to a close, guests are welcome either to head home for a break or to stay for a short garden demonstration on creating hydrocols and how edimental flavour develops through distillation to produce a non-alcoholic distillate, led by Asterion & Co.’s head gardener.

Then the real treat begins, with a 6:30 pm supper at the local inn — an unforgettable culinary celebration of edimentals that shows off their full potential.

Take-home items

• A planting guide for edible ornamentals with notes on design, flavour and biodiversity

• Pennard Plants’ edimental list and recommendations,

• Your planted edimental container or module created during the hands-on session

Masterclass Details

Date: Thursday 8th October 2026 Saturday 10th October 2026

Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, followed by non-alcoholic distillation demonstration, 6:30 pm supper at the Inn,

Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset, followed by the Inn

Pricing: £330, with a 10% discount on two or more guests booked together

Buying this as a gift? Let us know on the registration form at checkout and we can create a gift package for you, either emailed or posted to you directly.

Includes: Tuition, all materials, daytime refreshments, a seated lunch, tasting sessions, hands-on planting, and a take-home planting guide, edimentals in container, meal at the Inn.

This one-day workshop is intentionally kept to a small group size to maintain a calm, hands-on learning environment, followed by an intimate supper to round off the day.

About Pennard Plants

A specialist Somerset nursery renowned for its extensive range of edible and ornamental plants, including one of the country’s most diverse collections of edimentals. From heritage vegetables to unusual leafy greens and edible flowers, Pennard Plants champions biodiversity, flavour and confident home growing. Through expert-led sessions and collaborations, the nursery helps gardeners of all levels bring colour, beauty and productivity into their own spaces.