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 | Evening supper at The Holcombe
Led by Chris Smith, Founder of Pennard Plants, with heritage and botanical context from Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Explore the world of edible ornamentals through colour, flavour and garden design.
Work with striking plants that bring beauty, biodiversity and abundance to both border and table.
Conclude the day with a chef-prepared supper celebrating edimentals at The Holcombe.
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Spend the day moving between kitchen garden, ornamental borders and tasting table in this immersive edimentals masterclass at The Old Vicarage.
Working directly with edible ornamentals including chard, calendula, fennel, daylilies, nasturtiums and orache, you’ll explore how plants can be both visually dramatic and deeply useful. The focus throughout is on the relationship between aesthetics, flavour and cultivation, and how thoughtful planting can enrich both garden and kitchen.
Guided by Chris Smith’s deep horticultural knowledge and practical approach, the day combines garden demonstrations, tasting sessions and hands-on planting. You’ll learn how to design with edible ornamentals, combine texture and colour successfully, and select varieties that support biodiversity while extending seasonal interest.
Asterion & Co. will frame the day with a short contextual session exploring the history and cultural significance of edible ornamentals, from historic productive gardens to contemporary approaches that blur the boundaries between utility and beauty.
As the afternoon closes, guests may either pause before supper or remain for an optional demonstration exploring hydrosols and non-alcoholic distillation, led by Asterion & Co.’s head gardener.
The day concludes with an evening meal at The Holcombe, where edimentals gathered from the garden and preserved through the season will be showcased in a chef-prepared supper.
This masterclass also runs on:
Saturday 10th October 2026
Part of the Somerset Festival of Edimentals, this collaborative autumn programme brings together Asterion & Co., Pennard Plants and The Holcombe in celebration of flavour, craftsmanship and seasonal abundance.
What you will learn
Understand what defines an edible ornamental and why these plants matter
Design visually striking planting schemes that are also productive
Grow edible ornamentals successfully in borders, beds and containers
Use colour, structure and texture to shape seasonal displays
Explore flavour profiles through guided tasting sessions
Choose varieties that support pollinators and garden biodiversity
How the day unfolds
Warm welcome and introduction
Contextual session on edible ornamentals and productive beauty
Guided exploration of the kitchen garden and ornamental plantings
Hands-on planting and container design session
Tasting sessions exploring flavour and culinary use
Seated seasonal lunch and time to pause
Afternoon discussions on biodiversity, cultivation and garden design
Optional hydrosol and non-alcoholic distillation demonstration
Evening supper at The Holcombe celebrating edimentals from garden to plate
What you’ll leave with
A planted edimental container created during the workshop
A planting guide with notes on flavour, design and biodiversity
Pennard Plants’ recommended edimentals list
Greater confidence designing and growing edible ornamentals
A deeper appreciation of the relationship between garden and table
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Workshop Details
Dates: Thursday 8th October 2026
Alternative date: Saturday 10th October 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, followed by optional distillation demonstration and 6:30 pm supper at The Holcombe
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset, followed by supper at The Holcombe
Price: £330 per person
Includes: Full tuition, all materials, refreshments throughout the day, seated seasonal lunch, tasting sessions, hands-on planting workshop, take-home planting guide and container, plus evening supper at The Holcombe
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 horticultural expertise with Asterion’s Heritage-Inspired Learning™ philosophy, creating a richly sensory exploration of edible ornamentals across garden, table and landscape.
About Chris Smith
Chris Smith is the founder of Pennard Plants, one of the UK’s leading nurseries for heritage and edible plants. Known for championing unusual, flavour-rich and visually striking varieties, he has spent over two decades helping gardeners grow productive spaces filled with character and diversity.
His practical teaching style and deep plant knowledge make him a trusted guide for gardeners seeking to combine beauty, flavour and ecological richness within the same planting schemes.
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 | Evening supper at The Holcombe
Led by Chris Smith, Founder of Pennard Plants, with heritage and botanical context from Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Explore the world of edible ornamentals through colour, flavour and garden design.
Work with striking plants that bring beauty, biodiversity and abundance to both border and table.
Conclude the day with a chef-prepared supper celebrating edimentals at The Holcombe.
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Spend the day moving between kitchen garden, ornamental borders and tasting table in this immersive edimentals masterclass at The Old Vicarage.
Working directly with edible ornamentals including chard, calendula, fennel, daylilies, nasturtiums and orache, you’ll explore how plants can be both visually dramatic and deeply useful. The focus throughout is on the relationship between aesthetics, flavour and cultivation, and how thoughtful planting can enrich both garden and kitchen.
Guided by Chris Smith’s deep horticultural knowledge and practical approach, the day combines garden demonstrations, tasting sessions and hands-on planting. You’ll learn how to design with edible ornamentals, combine texture and colour successfully, and select varieties that support biodiversity while extending seasonal interest.
Asterion & Co. will frame the day with a short contextual session exploring the history and cultural significance of edible ornamentals, from historic productive gardens to contemporary approaches that blur the boundaries between utility and beauty.
As the afternoon closes, guests may either pause before supper or remain for an optional demonstration exploring hydrosols and non-alcoholic distillation, led by Asterion & Co.’s head gardener.
The day concludes with an evening meal at The Holcombe, where edimentals gathered from the garden and preserved through the season will be showcased in a chef-prepared supper.
This masterclass also runs on:
Saturday 10th October 2026
Part of the Somerset Festival of Edimentals, this collaborative autumn programme brings together Asterion & Co., Pennard Plants and The Holcombe in celebration of flavour, craftsmanship and seasonal abundance.
What you will learn
Understand what defines an edible ornamental and why these plants matter
Design visually striking planting schemes that are also productive
Grow edible ornamentals successfully in borders, beds and containers
Use colour, structure and texture to shape seasonal displays
Explore flavour profiles through guided tasting sessions
Choose varieties that support pollinators and garden biodiversity
How the day unfolds
Warm welcome and introduction
Contextual session on edible ornamentals and productive beauty
Guided exploration of the kitchen garden and ornamental plantings
Hands-on planting and container design session
Tasting sessions exploring flavour and culinary use
Seated seasonal lunch and time to pause
Afternoon discussions on biodiversity, cultivation and garden design
Optional hydrosol and non-alcoholic distillation demonstration
Evening supper at The Holcombe celebrating edimentals from garden to plate
What you’ll leave with
A planted edimental container created during the workshop
A planting guide with notes on flavour, design and biodiversity
Pennard Plants’ recommended edimentals list
Greater confidence designing and growing edible ornamentals
A deeper appreciation of the relationship between garden and table
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Workshop Details
Dates: Thursday 8th October 2026
Alternative date: Saturday 10th October 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, followed by optional distillation demonstration and 6:30 pm supper at The Holcombe
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset, followed by supper at The Holcombe
Price: £330 per person
Includes: Full tuition, all materials, refreshments throughout the day, seated seasonal lunch, tasting sessions, hands-on planting workshop, take-home planting guide and container, plus evening supper at The Holcombe
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 horticultural expertise with Asterion’s Heritage-Inspired Learning™ philosophy, creating a richly sensory exploration of edible ornamentals across garden, table and landscape.
About Chris Smith
Chris Smith is the founder of Pennard Plants, one of the UK’s leading nurseries for heritage and edible plants. Known for championing unusual, flavour-rich and visually striking varieties, he has spent over two decades helping gardeners grow productive spaces filled with character and diversity.
His practical teaching style and deep plant knowledge make him a trusted guide for gardeners seeking to combine beauty, flavour and ecological richness within the same planting schemes.
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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