Led by Chris Smith of Pennard Plants.
Spend Wednesday 22nd April 2026 mastering the structure and care of soft fruit in our Somerset farmhouse and productive kitchen garden at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip, with a seated three-course lunch included.
Throughout this immersive one-day workshop, you will move from clear classroom understanding to practical application in the fruit cage and garden — learning how to prune with purpose, train for strength and airflow, and manage soil, protection and plant health for long-term abundance. Designed for growers who want confidence rather than guesswork, the day sets you up for healthier plants, stronger yields and a more resilient harvest season ahead.
Spring is the moment that determines the harvest. Prune with clarity now, and summer rewards you with abundance. This masterclass is about understanding—not guessing—so that every cut you make supports structure, health and fruitfulness for years to come.
Soft fruit is generous when well understood. Currants, gooseberries, raspberries and blueberries each carry their own growth habits, fruiting rhythms and structural needs. This immersive one-day workshop gives you the knowledge and hands-on confidence to manage them properly — whether in a fruit cage, kitchen garden, polytunnel or mixed border.
During this workshop, you will explore the principles behind successful spring pruning and soft fruit care, moving from classroom clarity to practical application in the garden.
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.
What the day will cover:
Understanding fruiting habits — primocane vs floricane varieties
Identifying old and new wood with confidence
Renewal pruning vs maintenance pruning
Live demonstrations on established plants alongside guided hands-on pruning of currants, gooseberries and raspberries
An introduction to unusual and characterful fruits, including honeyberries, wineberries and blueberries
Training systems including fan-trained currants and standard forms
Fruit cage design, mesh selection and bird management strategies
Soil health, mulching and feeding techniques
Pest and disease identification and integrated management
Storing, freezing and preserving your harvest
Seasonal orchard tidy notes and guidance on when not to prune stone fruit
Hosted by Asterion & Co. at The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-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 soft fruit pruning guide authored by Chris himself, a fruit tree, Neil Crump’s (Asterion & Co. founder) 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: Wednesday 22nd April 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £215 per person, (a 10% discount is available for two or more guests booking together with code TWOTOGETHER2026).
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 one-day masterclass is timed to match the natural rhythm of the season, and places are intentionally limited to keep the group small and hands-on.
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 Asterion & Co. at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-upon-Mendip, a 16th-century Somerset 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.
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.
Led by Chris Smith of Pennard Plants.
Spend Wednesday 22nd April 2026 mastering the structure and care of soft fruit in our Somerset farmhouse and productive kitchen garden at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip, with a seated three-course lunch included.
Throughout this immersive one-day workshop, you will move from clear classroom understanding to practical application in the fruit cage and garden — learning how to prune with purpose, train for strength and airflow, and manage soil, protection and plant health for long-term abundance. Designed for growers who want confidence rather than guesswork, the day sets you up for healthier plants, stronger yields and a more resilient harvest season ahead.
Spring is the moment that determines the harvest. Prune with clarity now, and summer rewards you with abundance. This masterclass is about understanding—not guessing—so that every cut you make supports structure, health and fruitfulness for years to come.
Soft fruit is generous when well understood. Currants, gooseberries, raspberries and blueberries each carry their own growth habits, fruiting rhythms and structural needs. This immersive one-day workshop gives you the knowledge and hands-on confidence to manage them properly — whether in a fruit cage, kitchen garden, polytunnel or mixed border.
During this workshop, you will explore the principles behind successful spring pruning and soft fruit care, moving from classroom clarity to practical application in the garden.
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.
What the day will cover:
Understanding fruiting habits — primocane vs floricane varieties
Identifying old and new wood with confidence
Renewal pruning vs maintenance pruning
Live demonstrations on established plants alongside guided hands-on pruning of currants, gooseberries and raspberries
An introduction to unusual and characterful fruits, including honeyberries, wineberries and blueberries
Training systems including fan-trained currants and standard forms
Fruit cage design, mesh selection and bird management strategies
Soil health, mulching and feeding techniques
Pest and disease identification and integrated management
Storing, freezing and preserving your harvest
Seasonal orchard tidy notes and guidance on when not to prune stone fruit
Hosted by Asterion & Co. at The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-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 soft fruit pruning guide authored by Chris himself, a fruit tree, Neil Crump’s (Asterion & Co. founder) 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: Wednesday 22nd April 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Pricing: £215 per person, (a 10% discount is available for two or more guests booking together with code TWOTOGETHER2026).
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 one-day masterclass is timed to match the natural rhythm of the season, and places are intentionally limited to keep the group small and hands-on.
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 Asterion & Co. at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-upon-Mendip, a 16th-century Somerset 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.
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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