In collaboration with Pennards Plants.
Join us for a one-day, hands-on masterclass in an idyllic working kitchen garden nestled in the Mendip Hills near Frome. This immersive experience will show you how to revitalise and increase the productivity of your apple, pear, quince and other top-fruit trees.
If you cannot make this 28th September masterclass then it is also being repeated on 1st and 29th September.
Led by renowned plantsman Chris Smith, owner of Pennard Plants, the day includes expert demonstrations on pruning bush, espalier, and mature tree forms. You’ll also learn how to renovate aging trees that have fallen into low fruiting, as well as master the theory of pruning and tool maintenance.
This practical workshop includes:
Hands-on planting and initial pruning of bare-root trees
Working with a wide variety of established fruit trees
A session on sharpening and caring for your secateurs – bring your favourites and a pair of gloves!
Expert tuition, suitable for beginners and those wishing to refine their pruning skills
Hosted by Neil Crump, (Asterion & Co. founder) at The Old Vicarage, Leigh upon Mendip – a beautifully reimagined 16th-century farmhouse with eclectic, design-led interiors. It’s a relaxed yet inspiring setting for the day, with a seated garden lunch of seasonal produce, plus home-made treats and refreshments throughout.
The afternoon wraps up with a relaxed garden tour and optional game of pétanque (French boules).
Guests will take home a goody bag including a Winter Pruning Guide authored by Chris himself, a fruit tree, Neil’s favourite book about how Brit’s became gardening obsessed. Most importantly you’ll have acquired the knowledge and confidence to improve the health and yield of your own fruit trees.
Masterclass Details
Date: Monday 28th September 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-upon-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £215 for one person, 10% discount on two or more guests booked at the same time (this discount will automatically apply on checkout)
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, tools overview, all refreshments, seated lunch, goody bag including a fruit tree to suit your own garden.
This course was popular in 2025 and was over-subscribed. Spaces are limited and early booking is recommended.
Need accommodation nearby?
While this particular course is not residential, we’d be delighted to recommend a few local places we know well and consider to be of a good standard. Simply note this in the ‘Additional Information’ section at checkout and we’ll send over our suggestions.
Your Hosts
This course is hosted by Neil Crump (Founder, Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-upon-Mendip, a beautifully reimagined 16th-century farmhouse surrounded by a richly varied garden created in collaboration with experts including Pennard Plants.
Our guest team and gardening staff will be on hand throughout the day to offer guidance, hospitality and insight, bringing Asterion & Co.’s heritage-inspired learning philosophy into every corner of your visit. You will also meet our much-loved House Ducks, Daedalus and Xenodice, who add gentle mischief and charm to daily life here.
Having spent the day in the kitchen garden, glasshouse and polytunnel, the afternoon concludes with a gentle tour of the wider grounds, taking in luscious edible-ornamental beds, a formal rose garden, sweeping lawns, herb borders, a gravel garden and wilding areas. You’re then welcome to enjoy an optional game of pétanque (French boules) on our dedicated gravelled play area, surrounded by sculpted topiary and the calm of The Old Vicarage gardens.
About Pennard Plants
Pennard Plants, founded by award-winning plantsman Chris Smith, is celebrated for its extraordinary range of heritage edibles, rare cultivars, mature and young fruit trees in every form and time-honoured growing wisdom. Based in the Mendip Hills, the nursery holds one of the largest collections of edible plant varieties in the country and is known for its practical, generous approach to helping growers build confidence.
For anyone wishing to carry the spirit of the day back into their own garden, Pennard Plants’ beautifully curated mail-order range is available to explore at here.
In collaboration with Pennards Plants.
Join us for a one-day, hands-on masterclass in an idyllic working kitchen garden nestled in the Mendip Hills near Frome. This immersive experience will show you how to revitalise and increase the productivity of your apple, pear, quince and other top-fruit trees.
If you cannot make this 28th September masterclass then it is also being repeated on 1st and 29th September.
Led by renowned plantsman Chris Smith, owner of Pennard Plants, the day includes expert demonstrations on pruning bush, espalier, and mature tree forms. You’ll also learn how to renovate aging trees that have fallen into low fruiting, as well as master the theory of pruning and tool maintenance.
This practical workshop includes:
Hands-on planting and initial pruning of bare-root trees
Working with a wide variety of established fruit trees
A session on sharpening and caring for your secateurs – bring your favourites and a pair of gloves!
Expert tuition, suitable for beginners and those wishing to refine their pruning skills
Hosted by Neil Crump, (Asterion & Co. founder) at The Old Vicarage, Leigh upon Mendip – a beautifully reimagined 16th-century farmhouse with eclectic, design-led interiors. It’s a relaxed yet inspiring setting for the day, with a seated garden lunch of seasonal produce, plus home-made treats and refreshments throughout.
The afternoon wraps up with a relaxed garden tour and optional game of pétanque (French boules).
Guests will take home a goody bag including a Winter Pruning Guide authored by Chris himself, a fruit tree, Neil’s favourite book about how Brit’s became gardening obsessed. Most importantly you’ll have acquired the knowledge and confidence to improve the health and yield of your own fruit trees.
Masterclass Details
Date: Monday 28th September 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-upon-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £215 for one person, 10% discount on two or more guests booked at the same time (this discount will automatically apply on checkout)
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, tools overview, all refreshments, seated lunch, goody bag including a fruit tree to suit your own garden.
This course was popular in 2025 and was over-subscribed. Spaces are limited and early booking is recommended.
Need accommodation nearby?
While this particular course is not residential, we’d be delighted to recommend a few local places we know well and consider to be of a good standard. Simply note this in the ‘Additional Information’ section at checkout and we’ll send over our suggestions.
Your Hosts
This course is hosted by Neil Crump (Founder, Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-upon-Mendip, a beautifully reimagined 16th-century farmhouse surrounded by a richly varied garden created in collaboration with experts including Pennard Plants.
Our guest team and gardening staff will be on hand throughout the day to offer guidance, hospitality and insight, bringing Asterion & Co.’s heritage-inspired learning philosophy into every corner of your visit. You will also meet our much-loved House Ducks, Daedalus and Xenodice, who add gentle mischief and charm to daily life here.
Having spent the day in the kitchen garden, glasshouse and polytunnel, the afternoon concludes with a gentle tour of the wider grounds, taking in luscious edible-ornamental beds, a formal rose garden, sweeping lawns, herb borders, a gravel garden and wilding areas. You’re then welcome to enjoy an optional game of pétanque (French boules) on our dedicated gravelled play area, surrounded by sculpted topiary and the calm of The Old Vicarage gardens.
About Pennard Plants
Pennard Plants, founded by award-winning plantsman Chris Smith, is celebrated for its extraordinary range of heritage edibles, rare cultivars, mature and young fruit trees in every form and time-honoured growing wisdom. Based in the Mendip Hills, the nursery holds one of the largest collections of edible plant varieties in the country and is known for its practical, generous approach to helping growers build confidence.
For anyone wishing to carry the spirit of the day back into their own garden, Pennard Plants’ beautifully curated mail-order range is available to explore at here.
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