A heritage-inspired collaboration
Asterion & Co. is proud to collaborate with Pennard Plants, the Somerset nursery known for its exceptional collection of heritage fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible ornamentals.
Founded in 2001 and now celebrating its 25th year, it has become a trusted source for gardeners seeking flavour, character and diversity in what they grow.
Our Gardening Club courses are led by founder Chris Smith, whose depth of knowledge and practical insight shape each session.
Alongside these courses, you can experience Pennard Plants in three other ways:
Pennard’s depth of knowledge and practical authority, set within Asterion’s considered setting, enables learning to be imparted with care
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Shared philosophy of
Heritage-Inspired Learning™
Enduring practices, applied a through contemporary lens
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Values aligned
Camaraderie, craftsmanship, regeneration, accomplishment and integrity
Gardening Courses
Pennard’s horticultural expertise meets Asterion & Co.’s heritage-inspired learning.
Together, we offer a programme of practical one-day gardening workshops led by Pennard plantsman Chris Smith.
These cover vegetable growing, fruit cultivation, pruning of all categories of fruiting trees and protected cropping.
Where Our Gardening Courses Unfold…
Kitchen Garden Open Days
Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
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Wander, learn and gather inspiration
in a productive kitchen garden
With expert advise on hand from Pennard Plants’ leading horticulturalist Chris Smith, & expert seed guidance from Mike Milligan
Set within the Mendip Hills at
The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip
Pennard Plants’ Kitchen Show Garden
Within easy reach of Frome, Bruton and Bath
Dates
Friday 17 July
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Sunday 2 August
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Thursday 24 September
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Friday 9 October
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Saturday 21 November
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Sunday 22 November
From 10am to 4pm each day you can enjoy:
scheduled talks & informal guidance
garden tours & refreshments
tools, gardenalia & other treats to peruse
all labelled trees & plants available to take home
full seed range available in the potting shed
Find us on Kitchen Garden Open Days
We are just 10 minutes drive from Frome, 15 minutes from Bruton and 25 minutes south of Bath.
The Old Vicarage
Leigh-on-Mendip
Somerset
BA3 5QG
what3words: ///farmland.mixers.resonated
Please park considerately on the street, our staff will help co-ordinate pick-up at the front of the property.
Dates reminder
Friday 17 July
Sunday 2 August
Thursday 24 September
Friday 9 October
Saturday 21 November
Sunday 22 November
Time
Open: 10.00am | Close: 4.00pm
These are not traditional nursery open days. Instead, they offer a rare opportunity to experience a fully realised kitchen garden in situ, where heritage varieties are grown, tended and understood within a working setting.
Across the day, you are invited to explore fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible ornamentals as they grow across beds, glasshouse, polytunnel, orchard and ornamental borders. Every plant is clearly labelled, allowing you to connect what you see with what you can grow.
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All labelled varieties growing in the garden will be available to purchase, ready to take home. The full seed collection will also be available for your to peruse.
Join The Branch
25 Year Anniversary
In 2026, Pennard Plants marks twenty-five years of growing, selecting and sharing heritage plants with gardeners across the country. What began in 2001 as a small Somerset nursery with a deep interest in traditional varieties has gradually become one of the UK’s most respected sources for heritage fruit trees, unusual small fruits, heirloom vegetables and open-pollinated seeds.
Throughout that time the nursery has been shaped by the horticultural knowledge and quiet dedication of Chris Smith, alongside fellow Pennard owner Mike Milligan who leads the heritage seed side of the business. Together they have helped keep hundreds of traditional varieties in circulation — not simply preserved as historical curiosities, but actively grown, tasted and enjoyed in gardens and kitchen plots across Britain.
At the heart of Pennard’s work is the belief that these plants belong in cultivation. Many of the varieties the nursery champions carry stories of place, flavour and resilience that stretch back generations, and their continued survival depends on gardeners choosing to grow them.
Above all, this anniversary is an opportunity to thank the remarkable community of growers, gardeners and customers who have supported Pennard Plants over the past quarter-century. Their enthusiasm for heritage varieties is what keeps this work alive.
For a deeper look into the philosophy and horticultural approach behind the nursery, you can read our Asterion Journal feature In Conversation with Chris Smith of Pennard Plants.
Plant Nursery Open Days
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Plant Nursery Open Days |
A traditional nursery experience: wide choice, expert advice and full seasonal stock ready to take home
Held at Pennard Plants Nursery, East Pennard, Somerset, BA4 6TP
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Hosted by Chris Smith and Mike Milligan at their working nursery, in the familiar format many customers have enjoyed for years.
Running from 10.30am to 3pm on these dates in 2026:
Thursday 26th March
Friday 3rd April
Wednesday 8th April
Sunday 7th June
Tuesday 14th July
Explore rows of new-season fruit trees and bushes, trained fruit for walls and fences, heritage vegetable plants, herbs, and edible ornamentals.
Browse the extensive Pennard Plants range of heritage and heirloom seeds, and discover a vast selection of edible plants: Shop online for Pennard Plants Seeds and Stock »