Description
About the Venue:
Raby is one of the most impressive intact castles in the North of England, built in the 14th century by the powerful Neville family The 18th century Walled Garden was recently remodelled by renowned garden designer Luciano Giubbilei with Lady Barnard. Together, they have laboured to create a stunning 5-acre vision, including the estate’s well-known yew hedges and the iconic Raby fig.
About the Tutor:
Becky Crowley – Assistant Head Gardener at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens will be your workshop Tutor. Introduced to Raby by world-renowned garden designer Luciano Giubbilei, Becky works alongside gardens and landscape manager Dickon Harding and his team to ensure the vision for the five-acre walled garden is fulfilled. Becky worked with Luciano and his team on the design of the cutting garden at an early stage. Previously Becky was a cut flower grower at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire for five years, and in 2020 moved to Washington state to work at the celebrated Floret flower farm for two years. More recently she worked as a self-employed garden designer, largely specialising in cutting gardens, and also set up a small print business selling art prints of her seasonal floral photography.
About the Workshop:
During the Workshop, Becky will introduce you to the art of planning a garden that is both beautiful and productive. She’ll walk you through her personal planning techniques and offer practical tips to help you design your own unique cutting garden. The morning Workshop will cover:
- A brief overview of projects she’s previously worked on.
- What plants are best to grow to ensure you have cut flowers throughout the seasons.
- When and how to start plants for a long succession of flowers.
- How to lay out a cut flower garden to maximise space and production and the practicalities and logistics of maintaining and starting a cutting garden such as staking, pathways, mulching etc.
Next, you’ll head into the Walled Garden for an outdoor session focused on layout and seasonal planning. Becky will explain how to structure your growing space and ensure a continuous succession of blooms throughout the year. She’ll guide you through essential tasks for each season, giving you a clear roadmap for a garden filled with flowers year-round.
After the two-hour session with Becky, you’ll have open access to explore the Walled Gardens and Deer Park – perfect for gathering inspiration for your own garden projects!
Timings:
10.00am – 1.00pm
Refreshments:
Please bring your own refreshments, or you can purchase these on site.
Special Instructions:
Please wear weather appropriate clothing and footwear, and bring sunscreen and a sun hat if required.
Costs:
Members £50 | Non-Members £70
An e-ticket will be emailed to the address that you booked your place with, and a copy can be found in the ‘Tickets’ section of your Working for Gardeners account.
Booking Cancellations:
Cancellations received 15+ days out from an event date will qualify for a 50% refund.
Cancellations received 14 or less days out from an event date do not qualify for a refund.
Tickets are non-transferable.
Terms and Conditions.
Photograph copyright and courtesy of Jason Ingram.
