In collaboration with Pennard Plants.
Join us for an immersive two-day workshop designed to set you up for a productive growing season. Held in the working kitchen garden at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip, this hands-on course is perfect for anyone wanting to build confidence, structure and momentum in the vegetable garden before the main season begins.
This course is fully residential, with guests staying for one night at Hollybush Lodges — a set of beautifully kept log cabins just a three-minute walk from The Old Vicarage. Each lodge has two comfortable bedrooms and shared living spaces, offering a relaxed and friendly base to unwind after the first day before returning refreshed for day two.
Across two structured days of demonstrations, practical sessions and guided planning, you will learn how to prepare your soil, understand your site, make confident sowing decisions, and establish early crops that will carry you well into spring and summer.
This course runs on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th March.
Please note: we also offer this two-day course in a non-residential format — without overnight accommodation, the guest dinner or breakfast — on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March.
Led by renowned plantsman Chris Smith of Pennard Plants, the course blends expert horticultural knowledge with Asterion & Co.’s warm, welcoming approach to Heritage-Inspired Learning. The Old Vicarage Head Gardener will also be on-hand to answer your questions on our set-up here in Somerset. You’ll leave with a clear action plan for the months ahead, a set of early crops to grow on, and practical techniques you can apply immediately in your own garden or allotment.
What the two days cover:
Designing the productive plot
Understanding the tools you genuinely need
Reading your garden: orientation, wind, drainage and microclimates
Bed layout, spacing and simple rotation planning
Early sowings: broad beans, peas, onions, spinach, lettuce and brassicas
Planning for root crops and sequencing for a year-round harvest
Sequencing first earlies, second earlies and maincrop potatoes to extend the season
Soil, compost and sowing
Assessing soil texture and improving structure
Using compost, mulches, manures and early spring fertilisers
Hands-on sowing in the potting shed: modules, trays and variety choices (F1 vs heritage)
Overview on Solanums (tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, peppers) and Cucurbits (cucumbers and cucamelons) sowing
Direct sowing outdoors (weather permitting)
The fine details: timing, depth and spacing
Propagation and early plant care
Monitoring germination and giving seedlings the right light and temperature
Pricking out and potting on into larger cells
Early pest management: slugs, mice and flea beetles
Using fleece, cloches and cold frames for protection
Seasonal maintenance and crop planning
Watering routines for early spring
Supporting peas, beans and brassicas from the start
Creating a simple rotation plan for any size of garden
How to build on your progress through April and May
Crop protection from pests and weather
Hosted by Neil Crump (Founder of Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip – a beautifully reimagined 16th-century home with a three acre garden and a productive kitchen garden. Guests will enjoy a seated lunch on both days, with refreshments and home-made treats throughout.
Take-home items
Five packets of heritage seeds from the Pennard Plant range
Early crops in trays or pots
Our favourite vegetable growing book
Cultivation notes on recommended varieties
Your own preparation checklist for April and May
Masterclass Details
Date: Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th March 2026
Time: 11:00 am – 4:30 pm on day one followed by rest time and supper at 7:00 pm, then 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on day two (breakfast served at 9:00 am)
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £710 per person, 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, seated lunches, one night accommodation at local lodges, a three-course supper with wine, a cooked breakfast the following morning, take-home seedlings and packs of heritage seeds, growing guides and a vegetable growing book.
This two-day workshop is timed to match the natural rhythm of the season, and places are intentionally limited to keep the group small and hands-on.
Your Overnight Stay at Hollybush Lodges
Guests stay at Hollybush Lodges, a set of beautifully kept log cabins just a three-minute walk from The Old Vicarage. Each lodge has two comfortable bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a spacious open-plan kitchen and lounge — a relaxed, welcoming space to unwind after the first day.
Guests booking together share a lodge, while solo guests are placed with another attendee of the same gender for the stay.
The cabins are light, airy and thoughtfully furnished by owner Irene, with Wi-Fi, a fully equipped kitchen and a cosy sitting area. Set within a peaceful lawned garden with picnic tables, the lodges offer a calm, friendly atmosphere that adds to the sense of camaraderie that naturally develops over a residential course.
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.
About Pennard Plants
A specialist nursery rooted in Somerset, known for its rare and heritage varieties of edible and ornamental plants. From ancient fruit trees to heirloom vegetables, the nursery champions biodiversity, sustainable growing and self-sufficiency. Through expert-led courses and collaborations, Pennard Plants helps gardeners of all levels connect with the rhythms of nature and the pleasures of growing food from seed to plate.
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 Pennard Plants.
Join us for an immersive two-day workshop designed to set you up for a productive growing season. Held in the working kitchen garden at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip, this hands-on course is perfect for anyone wanting to build confidence, structure and momentum in the vegetable garden before the main season begins.
This course is fully residential, with guests staying for one night at Hollybush Lodges — a set of beautifully kept log cabins just a three-minute walk from The Old Vicarage. Each lodge has two comfortable bedrooms and shared living spaces, offering a relaxed and friendly base to unwind after the first day before returning refreshed for day two.
Across two structured days of demonstrations, practical sessions and guided planning, you will learn how to prepare your soil, understand your site, make confident sowing decisions, and establish early crops that will carry you well into spring and summer.
This course runs on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th March.
Please note: we also offer this two-day course in a non-residential format — without overnight accommodation, the guest dinner or breakfast — on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March.
Led by renowned plantsman Chris Smith of Pennard Plants, the course blends expert horticultural knowledge with Asterion & Co.’s warm, welcoming approach to Heritage-Inspired Learning. The Old Vicarage Head Gardener will also be on-hand to answer your questions on our set-up here in Somerset. You’ll leave with a clear action plan for the months ahead, a set of early crops to grow on, and practical techniques you can apply immediately in your own garden or allotment.
What the two days cover:
Designing the productive plot
Understanding the tools you genuinely need
Reading your garden: orientation, wind, drainage and microclimates
Bed layout, spacing and simple rotation planning
Early sowings: broad beans, peas, onions, spinach, lettuce and brassicas
Planning for root crops and sequencing for a year-round harvest
Sequencing first earlies, second earlies and maincrop potatoes to extend the season
Soil, compost and sowing
Assessing soil texture and improving structure
Using compost, mulches, manures and early spring fertilisers
Hands-on sowing in the potting shed: modules, trays and variety choices (F1 vs heritage)
Overview on Solanums (tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, peppers) and Cucurbits (cucumbers and cucamelons) sowing
Direct sowing outdoors (weather permitting)
The fine details: timing, depth and spacing
Propagation and early plant care
Monitoring germination and giving seedlings the right light and temperature
Pricking out and potting on into larger cells
Early pest management: slugs, mice and flea beetles
Using fleece, cloches and cold frames for protection
Seasonal maintenance and crop planning
Watering routines for early spring
Supporting peas, beans and brassicas from the start
Creating a simple rotation plan for any size of garden
How to build on your progress through April and May
Crop protection from pests and weather
Hosted by Neil Crump (Founder of Asterion & Co.) at The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip – a beautifully reimagined 16th-century home with a three acre garden and a productive kitchen garden. Guests will enjoy a seated lunch on both days, with refreshments and home-made treats throughout.
Take-home items
Five packets of heritage seeds from the Pennard Plant range
Early crops in trays or pots
Our favourite vegetable growing book
Cultivation notes on recommended varieties
Your own preparation checklist for April and May
Masterclass Details
Date: Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th March 2026
Time: 11:00 am – 4:30 pm on day one followed by rest time and supper at 7:00 pm, then 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on day two (breakfast served at 9:00 am)
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £710 per person, 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, seated lunches, one night accommodation at local lodges, a three-course supper with wine, a cooked breakfast the following morning, take-home seedlings and packs of heritage seeds, growing guides and a vegetable growing book.
This two-day workshop is timed to match the natural rhythm of the season, and places are intentionally limited to keep the group small and hands-on.
Your Overnight Stay at Hollybush Lodges
Guests stay at Hollybush Lodges, a set of beautifully kept log cabins just a three-minute walk from The Old Vicarage. Each lodge has two comfortable bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a spacious open-plan kitchen and lounge — a relaxed, welcoming space to unwind after the first day.
Guests booking together share a lodge, while solo guests are placed with another attendee of the same gender for the stay.
The cabins are light, airy and thoughtfully furnished by owner Irene, with Wi-Fi, a fully equipped kitchen and a cosy sitting area. Set within a peaceful lawned garden with picnic tables, the lodges offer a calm, friendly atmosphere that adds to the sense of camaraderie that naturally develops over a residential course.
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.
About Pennard Plants
A specialist nursery rooted in Somerset, known for its rare and heritage varieties of edible and ornamental plants. From ancient fruit trees to heirloom vegetables, the nursery champions biodiversity, sustainable growing and self-sufficiency. Through expert-led courses and collaborations, Pennard Plants helps gardeners of all levels connect with the rhythms of nature and the pleasures of growing food from seed to plate.
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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