Places are limited and each course is carefully prepared. We encourage you to review our Terms & Conditions before booking. By booking, you agree to them and to the principles that shape our courses.
Seated lunch | Afternoon tea | Small-group
Led by Chris Smith, Founder of Pennard Plants, with heritage context from Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Learn how to grow and manage fruit under glass and in polytunnels.
Work directly with citrus, figs, grapes, apricots, pomegranates and early soft fruit in active growing spaces.
Take home a young fruit plant selected for your own growing conditions.
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Spend the day moving between kitchen garden, glasshouse and polytunnel in this immersive fruit-growing masterclass at The Old Vicarage.
Working directly with citrus, figs, grapes, apricots, peaches, nectarines, pomegranates, persimmons and early soft fruit, you’ll explore how warmth, shelter and microclimate can transform productivity and flavour. The focus throughout is on understanding how fruit behaves under protection and how to work with these conditions successfully.
Guided by Chris Smith’s deep horticultural knowledge, the day combines clear theory with hands-on practice. You’ll learn how to shape, prune, feed and manage fruiting plants under cover, while gaining confidence in recognising plant health, airflow requirements and seasonal rhythms.
Asterion & Co. will frame the day with a short contextual session exploring the heritage of protected fruit growing, from historic glasshouse cultivation to the evolution of modern productive kitchen gardens, grounding the practice in a wider tradition of craftsmanship and cultivation.
What you will learn
Understand the principles of protected fruit growing
Manage citrus, figs, grapes and warm-climate fruit with confidence
Improve fruit quality through airflow, feeding and seasonal care
Prune, train and support fruiting plants under cover
Recognise and respond to common pests, deficiencies and diseases
Plan fruit varieties for staggered harvests across the growing season
How the day unfolds
Warm welcome and introduction
Contextual session on the heritage of protected fruit cultivation
Guided exploration of the glasshouse and polytunnel fruit collections
Demonstrations in pruning, tying-in and fruit-set assessment
Hands-on practical sessions across multiple fruit types
Seated seasonal lunch and time to pause
Afternoon sessions on troubleshooting, seasonal planning and plant health
Closing guidance for applying techniques at home
What you’ll leave with
A young fruit plant selected for your growing conditions
A curated selection of heritage seeds from Pennard Plants
Greater confidence working with fruit under cover
Practical skills in pruning, training and seasonal care
A clearer understanding of how to create productive protected spaces
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Workshop Details
Date: Monday 22nd June 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Price: £210 per person
Includes: Full tuition, refreshments throughout the day, a seated seasonal lunch, practical sessions in the garden, glasshouse and polytunnel, a goody bag including heritage seeds from Pennard Plants, and a fruit plant to take home
Booking terms
By booking, you are entering into an agreement with Asterion & Co. in accordance with our Terms & Conditions, including our cancellation policy and course guidelines.
This masterclass combines Chris Smith’s practical expertise in productive fruit growing with Asterion’s Heritage-Inspired Learning™ approach, offering a grounded and hands-on exploration of cultivation under cover.
About Chris Smith
Chris Smith is the founder of Pennard Plants, one of the UK’s leading nurseries for heritage and edible plants. For over two decades, he has specialised in varieties selected for flavour, resilience and character, with a particular passion for productive fruit growing.
Known for his practical teaching style and deep horticultural knowledge, Chris helps gardeners understand how to work successfully with plants across season, structure and environment.
Learn more about Chris and Pennard Plants in The Asterion Journal.
Need accommodation nearby?
Click here for a list of places to stay overnight before or after your course that we know well and would recommend.
Places are limited and each course is carefully prepared. We encourage you to review our Terms & Conditions before booking. By booking, you agree to them and to the principles that shape our courses.
Seated lunch | Afternoon tea | Small-group
Led by Chris Smith, Founder of Pennard Plants, with heritage context from Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Learn how to grow and manage fruit under glass and in polytunnels.
Work directly with citrus, figs, grapes, apricots, pomegranates and early soft fruit in active growing spaces.
Take home a young fruit plant selected for your own growing conditions.
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Spend the day moving between kitchen garden, glasshouse and polytunnel in this immersive fruit-growing masterclass at The Old Vicarage.
Working directly with citrus, figs, grapes, apricots, peaches, nectarines, pomegranates, persimmons and early soft fruit, you’ll explore how warmth, shelter and microclimate can transform productivity and flavour. The focus throughout is on understanding how fruit behaves under protection and how to work with these conditions successfully.
Guided by Chris Smith’s deep horticultural knowledge, the day combines clear theory with hands-on practice. You’ll learn how to shape, prune, feed and manage fruiting plants under cover, while gaining confidence in recognising plant health, airflow requirements and seasonal rhythms.
Asterion & Co. will frame the day with a short contextual session exploring the heritage of protected fruit growing, from historic glasshouse cultivation to the evolution of modern productive kitchen gardens, grounding the practice in a wider tradition of craftsmanship and cultivation.
What you will learn
Understand the principles of protected fruit growing
Manage citrus, figs, grapes and warm-climate fruit with confidence
Improve fruit quality through airflow, feeding and seasonal care
Prune, train and support fruiting plants under cover
Recognise and respond to common pests, deficiencies and diseases
Plan fruit varieties for staggered harvests across the growing season
How the day unfolds
Warm welcome and introduction
Contextual session on the heritage of protected fruit cultivation
Guided exploration of the glasshouse and polytunnel fruit collections
Demonstrations in pruning, tying-in and fruit-set assessment
Hands-on practical sessions across multiple fruit types
Seated seasonal lunch and time to pause
Afternoon sessions on troubleshooting, seasonal planning and plant health
Closing guidance for applying techniques at home
What you’ll leave with
A young fruit plant selected for your growing conditions
A curated selection of heritage seeds from Pennard Plants
Greater confidence working with fruit under cover
Practical skills in pruning, training and seasonal care
A clearer understanding of how to create productive protected spaces
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Workshop Details
Date: Monday 22nd June 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Price: £210 per person
Includes: Full tuition, refreshments throughout the day, a seated seasonal lunch, practical sessions in the garden, glasshouse and polytunnel, a goody bag including heritage seeds from Pennard Plants, and a fruit plant to take home
Booking terms
By booking, you are entering into an agreement with Asterion & Co. in accordance with our Terms & Conditions, including our cancellation policy and course guidelines.
This masterclass combines Chris Smith’s practical expertise in productive fruit growing with Asterion’s Heritage-Inspired Learning™ approach, offering a grounded and hands-on exploration of cultivation under cover.
About Chris Smith
Chris Smith is the founder of Pennard Plants, one of the UK’s leading nurseries for heritage and edible plants. For over two decades, he has specialised in varieties selected for flavour, resilience and character, with a particular passion for productive fruit growing.
Known for his practical teaching style and deep horticultural knowledge, Chris helps gardeners understand how to work successfully with plants across season, structure and environment.
Learn more about Chris and Pennard Plants in The Asterion Journal.
Need accommodation nearby?
Click here for a list of places to stay overnight before or after your course that we know well and would recommend.
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