Forest Gardening Workshops
Learn nature-based gardening practices to turn your patch into a low-work thriving, vibrant ecosystem that gives year-round harvests.
Forest gardens are beautiful, diverse and abundant habitats that connect us to an ancient way of being, in harmony with nature’s rhythms. The role of the gardener is one of intuition, reflection and nurturing, with moments given to tending here and there.
In this workshop you will learn nature-based gardening practices to turn your patch into a low-work thriving, vibrant ecosystem that gives year-round harvests.
You will learn:
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The philosophy of forest gardening
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Practical gardening skills and tips
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Ecosystem dynamics in gardens and soil
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Easy no-dig techniques to build healthy soil
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Plants for food and medicine: fruit trees, berries, vines, vegetables, herbs, flowers, natives and weeds
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Plants for soil health, mulch and bees and biodiversity
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Ways to eat and cook unusual and medicinal foods
Learning will be a mindful, creative mix of theory and hands on, including a connection to country meditation and exploration of the gardens. This workshop is for gardeners of all abilities and people wanting to deepen their connection to nature through growing and harvesting practices.
Forest Gardening Workshops
Sat, 5 April | CERES Brunswick
Permaculture Workshop
Join us for a one day workshop focusing on practical and simple choices and changes we can make to live more harmoniously with nature. Explore household and garden strategies to increase our community capacity, self-reliance and resilience.
The workshop provides an engaging introduction to the principles and techniques of permaculture, and ways to live ecologically in frugal abundance. You will participate in hands-on gardening activities, composting, tending the soil, planting seeds and seedlings and foraging edible and medicinal weeds.
Your facilitators are a multi-generational family collaboration. David Arnold teaches from over three decades of applied learning, teaching and consulting. Leila Alexandra supports others to live a simple and wholesome life through nature-based growing and foraging practices. Grace Arnold and Andreas Alexandra will explain how their lifestyle is a form of activism and how they converted their urban rental into a thriving community hub and abundant food garden in less than one year!
Seed Saving Workshops
When we save seed, we are taking radical action to prepare for the future in a powerful gesture of hope. Plants adapt to the conditions they grow in, so growing from saved seed makes for healthier and resilient plants. This is especially important in the face of a changing climate.
In this workshop you will be saving seeds from common vegetables and will be able to take them home.
You will learn
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How to save seed from several types of vegetables
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To save seed using wet and dry methods
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How to prepare and store seed
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How seeds are pollinated and to prevent cross pollination
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How to save seed for long term genetic viability
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Tips and tricks to ensure seed saving success
Learning will be a mindful, creative mix of theory and hands on, with a focus on connecting and building relationship with the plants we work with. This workshop is for gardeners of all abilities and people wanting to deepen their connection to nature through growing and harvesting practices.
Seed Saving Workshops
Sat, 26 April | Maribynong Community Garden
Gardening Course
Learn practical food growing skills while transforming the neighbourhood lawn into thriving, vibrant, edible ecosystem at the lovely Sussex Neighbourhood House in Pascoe Vale.
We are creating a Food Forest Garden - a beautiful, diverse and abundant habitat that connect us to an ancient way of being, in harmony with nature’s rhythms. In a food forest, the role of the gardener is one of intuition, reflection and nurturing, with moments given to tending here and there.
You will learn about:
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The philosophy of permaculture/food forest gardening
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Practices of nature connection
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Site assessment and design considerations
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Biodiversity in gardens and soil
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No-dig techniques to build healthy soil
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Plants for food and medicine, including weeds
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How to grow fruit trees, berries, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and bush foods
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Seed saving & propagation
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Plant care, including pest and disease management
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Water systems
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Seasonal planting, companion planting and crop rotation
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Ways to eat and cook unusual and medicinal foods
Learning will be a mindful, creative mix of theory and hands on, including nature connection and community connection activities, and an excursion to a local, well established food forest.
This course is for gardeners of all abilities and people wanting to deepen their connection to nature through growing and harvesting practices.
Let's grow sustainably together.