A free "Down to Earth Talk", Saturday 17th October 2026 with Julia and Jacky

Come join us at Preston Bissett Nurseries and Country Shop for a fun and informative event all about winter gardens. Winter is the most overlooked and magnificent season of the year.

A frosty morning is a beautiful morning and against a strong blue sky a haw frost has to be one of the most stunning sites all year, and even stuctural shubs look beautiful coated in frost.

Tall stemmed perennials, attractive seed heads, plants with interesting texture like grasses, coloured stems, berries, bark, catkins, garden structures, shapely trees, reflective water and evergreens. These are the bones you are left with when winter settles on the garden. Don't be downhearted as these may not be abundant with flowery buds but they can have an ethereal beauty all of their own.

Choosing to leave your more structured perennials unchopped until spring will allow them to form the icy silhouette shapes that freeze so beautifully. Its also good cover for wildlife.

Julia is an extremely knowledgeable horticulturalist, who has a passion for "The Kitchen Garden". She comes from a family in Ireland who grew vegetables commercially. She studied Botany at Trinity College Dublin, Kinsealy Research Centre and The Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin.

Julia has designed several gardens including the garden for Princess Anne's visit to the Paddocks Housing Trust, and frequently gives horticultural talks, writes garden articles for local magazines and recently developed a gardening YouTube channel.

Arrive at 10.15 am for 10.30 am start. The talk ends at 12 noon.

"Add-ons"

The Tipis are open from 9am-4pm every day. Our kitchen stops serving hot food at 3.30pm

LUNCH AT THE GARDEN TIPI - LUNCH MENU served 12 noon-3.30pm

OR

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE GARDEN TIPI

Stay on after your workshop and book our afternoon tea which include all the traditional sweet and savoury favourites featuring of course our own Preston Bissett twist!

Afternoon tea at £28.95 per person ( 48 hours' notice and online bookings with 4 days’ notice please, min 2 people)

Upgrade to a 20cl piccolo bottle of prosecco at £11.50 or a 75cl bottle of prosecco at £29.00.

Child plate (age 12 and under) £14.50

Our menu features a range of delicious sweet and savoury treats including :-

* A selection of sandwiches

* Scones served with jam and clotted cream

* A selection of seasonal cakes

* A macaroon biscuit and mint chocolate

* Bottomless tea or americano coffee

For enquires, availability or for alternative serving times:-

You can visit The Garden Tipi and speak to a member of the team,

email:- events@thenurseries.com or

call:- 01280-848038

https://thenurseries.com/the-garden-tipi/

Whilst we will do everything we can to accommodate guests with food intolerances and allergies, we are unable to guarantee that dishes will be COMPLETLEY allergen free. Allergens may include - gluten, peanuts, nuts, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, sesame seeds, eggs, milk and milk products, celery, lupin, mustard, soy beans and sulphites.

Refund policy: Refunds up to 30 days before event (all refunds are subject to a £10.00 administration fee).

Eventbrite's booking fee is non-refundable.

Photography disclaimer: Please be aware that photographs may be taken throughout the event and may be used for marketing purposes.

If you wish to pay by credit or debit card, please check out as a guest of PayPal even if you do not have a PayPal account. Please follow the below prompts and continue to Payment.

If you have any queries, please contact us via email events@thenurseries or calling the shop on 01280 848038.

Thank you

Description supplied by the event organiser.