Practical permaculture gardening
A two-day look at applying permaculture in the garden
Saturday 31 March - Sunday 1 April 2012
The course runs from 10.00am - 5pm in Brighton.
(Click here if you would like to be notified about future runs of this course/event.)
This course explores how permaculture design can be used to create beautiful, productive and wildlife-friendly gardens.
What will the Practical permaculture gardening course cover?
By the end of the course you will have the skills to carry out a Permaculture Design for your plot and to start a garden from scratch without digging. Other topics we will cover include annual and perennial food crops, encouraging beneficial wildlife, composting, pest-control without chemicals, rainwater harvesting and maintaining soil fertility. There will be the opportunity to carry out at least one practical activity each day and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
Please note that attending this course does not qualify you to use the term 'permaculture' as part of your work as a professional or with the public, such as being a gardener, a teacher, a designer, giving talks about permaculture, etc. In order to do this you need to complete a permaculture design course such as our Building sustainable communities course.
Who is the course for?
This course is open to anyone aged 16 or over.The course is open to anybody interested in applying Permaculture ideas in their home garden, community garden or allotment. It is suitable for complete beginner gardeners as well as those with some experience who wish to increase the sustainability and productiveness of their plots. You may have some prior knowledge about or qualifications in Permaculture but this is not a necessity as we will cover some basic theory.
Please note that unfortunately this course is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Learning methods and outcomes
A discussion about what participants want from the course will be followed by short theory sessions and practical demonstrations. Weather permitting a large part of the course will be outdoors including practical hands-on experience with guidance from the tutor. We will visit an established Permaculture garden and look at some of the projects at Stanmer Park. By the end of the course participants will have learned several practical techniques and design tools, which they will then be able to apply to their own gardens and allotments.
What does the Practical permaculture gardening course lead on to?
This short course is not accredited. It does not lead directly on to any other courses but will provide a taster for those progressing to work or courses in horticulture, sustainable garden design and market gardening. Those interested in the ideas of Permaculture Design could follow it with one of Brighton Permaculture Trust's Permaculture courses, held regularly in Brighton.
Course tutor
Tuition will be provided by Pippa Johns, an experienced tutor who has designed and created gardens using Permaculture Design for over 10 years.
Venues
The first day we will be based at Stanmer Park, Brighton and on the Brighton Permaculture Trust plot. Click here for directions to our meeting point at Stanmer Park.
The second day we will begin at the garden of Pippa Johns, which is close to Southease station and is located between Newhaven and Lewes. Click here for Southease location and directions. The afternoon will be held in a nearby hall. Details about this venue will be sent with pre-course information.
Click here for details of local accommodation and to find out about Brighton Permaculture Trust supporters who can provide accommodation in their homes.
What you will need to bring
• Sun hat & sun screen
• Warm/waterproof clothing & sturdy outdoor footwear
• Warm socks or slippers for indoors
• Gardening gloves
• Gardening tools if you have them & can transport them easily
• Pens, pencils and a notepad
• Packed lunch
• Water bottle
Fees
Fees include tuition, refreshments, handouts and information sheets.
£175 - Sponsored/organisation rate
£175 - Individual income more than 25k/yr
£140 - Individual income 18-25k/yr
£105 - Individual income less than 18k/yr
£70 - Individual, concessionary rate (please read below)
Concessionary rates are available to people in receipt of means-tested benefits (including housing benefit, council tax benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the guarantee credit part of Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit (income does not exceed £16,190) and/or Child Tax Credit), full-time students and OAPs. Please bring evidence of this to the course.
We endeavour to make our courses/events affordable to all. Unfortunately we do not receive any external funding and as such rely on large amounts of voluntary input to run courses/events.
See the cancellations and refunds policy.
Booking the Practical permaculture gardening course
Booking is essential, as most of our courses/events are fully booked weeks in advance. However, if places are still available, then bookings can be made until midday the day before the course/event. A place is not secured until we have received the requested payment.
Please do not book unless you are able to pay for your place.
Paying for your place
Please read this section carefully, as you could lose your booking.
When you complete the booking process, you will receive a confirmation email from us. If you haven't received that email within the next few hours, please contact us immediately, as this email contains vital information regarding your booking.
You can pay when you book your place using a credit/debit card or PayPal, or you can tick the 'Pay later' box (in the Event Fee section), which gives you the option to pay by BACS or send us a cheque after you have booked.
If you tick the pay later box, you will have 7 days to pay for your place. Bookings that remain unpaid on our system for longer than that will be cancelled. You will receive notification of this cancellation by email. If you then decide you want to come, you will need to contact us to see if there is a still a place available for you.
If you are booking within two weeks of the course, you will not have the option to pay later. Instead, you will need to pay immediately at the point of booking using a credit card or PayPal. This will also be the only option available if the course is nearly fully booked.
Be certain that you understand ALL the information on this page, then:
Register here for Practical permaculture gardening, 31 March - 1 April 2012
If places are available, you will automatically be taken to the booking form.
Contact us
For further information or if you have problems with your registration, please contact us