Garden workshops at Easter Mosshat Gardens 2014

*** Unfortunatly as we are longer at Easter Mosshat volunteering and courses are unavailable. At some time in the future once we have our own garden again, I hope to offer the chance of volunteering with us and doing the garden courses below. As they say, watch this space ***


I have always enjoyed working with others and sharing my passion for gardening, which is why I'm excited about our programme of gardening workshops. For 2014 we have seven one day workshops to choose from, suitable for the beginner and more experienced gardener. They focus on a range of interesting and useful gardening topics and are competitively priced at just £95 per person. Whichever you choose I'm sure you will have a wonderful day.

A welcome coffee, tea and home-made shortbread are served from 9:30 and you can wander around the garden or chat before the start at 10 am. We provide a delicious home-made lunch made from local produce served in our spacious sun-room, overlooking the garden and with views of the Pentland Hills. The day finishes about 4 pm with time for another wander around the garden or a walk in the woods before going home.

The workshops are practical and hands-on, split into classroom time and practical work out in the garden and potting shed. If the sun is shining, most of the day will be outside; if it’s wet, more time will be spent inside but bring a coat anyway!

Our aim is to work with small groups and share our passion for plants and gardening and give you the knowledge to go home and get results. The maximum group size is 5 though it is likely to be smaller. Contact us if you would like to organise a larger number.

If you would like to create a personal piece of paradise in your own back yard, come and share our passion for plants and gardening and we will inspire you with ideas and practical tips to get a “wow factor” in your garden. If you are looking for a gardening holiday or a gardening weekend break in Scotland, easily accessible from Edinburgh, Glasgow or the borders you can have fun, relax and learn new skills. The beautiful surroundings, wide range of plants and relaxed, informal workshops make learning at Easter Mosshat gardens a pleasure and an inspiration. 

Planning a border or a garden

The content of the workshop will include the following, though the exact format will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group. We will discuss the points below and look at how you can use them to design your own border. The idea is to complete your plan during the workshop.

~ What do we want from our garden?

~ Design, atmosphere and quirkiness

~ The Bones ~ trees, shrubs and buildings

~ The pretty fillers ~ perennials

~ The seasonal highlights ~ bulbs and annuals

~ How to achieve interest and colour all year round

~ Planning your own border

What you need to bring: the measurement of the border you want to design, photos if possible and an idea of soil type and aspect.

Bespoke course of clients choice

The framework of the day will be tailored to the choice of subject and needs of the individuals in the group. Gather together a group of friends for a different day out and discuss with me what areas you would like to cover when you book the workshop. You can choose practical problems like how to propagate or prune plants or design conundrums like which bulbs can you run through a border of ornamental grasses to provide all year round interest, etc.

Gardening on the wild Side

Over the day we will discuss the points below and what makes a garden challenging, how you can deal with your own gardens challenges and create beauty on the wild side!

~ What is gardening on the wild side?

~ Why do we want to tame nature and why it is easier to work along side her

~ Different garden problems and how to deal with them

~ Rona’s top 20 plants that grow well on the wild side

~ Your own garden’s problems and how to get the results you want

Woodland Gardening

We will cover the points below and look at how you can use them to create a woodland garden even if a small one in your own garden.

~ What is a woodland garden?

~ How to create the feel of a woodland in your own garden.

~ Rona’s top 20 woodland plants

~ wildlife that is encouraged by woodland habitat

~ features and quirky things to make your woodland different

Foliage in the garden

The framework of the day is along the following lines though the exact format will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group. We will discuss the points below and look at how you make a beautiful garden with clever use of foliage through out the year.

~ Why use foliage?

~ Different styles of foliage plantings

~ The Bones ~ trees, shrubs and buildings

~ The pretty fillers ~ perennials

~ The seasonal highlights ~ bulbs and annuals

~ How to achieve interest and colour all year round

~ Using foliage in your own garden

Plants that Excite

he content of the workshop will include the following, though the exact format will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group. We will discuss the points below and look at how you can use them to enhance your garden.

~ Why do we get passionate about certain plants?

~ Collections and individual stand alone favourites

~ The Bones ~ trees, shrubs and buildings

~ The pretty fillers ~ perennials

~ The seasonal highlights ~ bulbs and annuals

~ How to incorporate your favourites into your garden

Scottish Gardens

We will take a look at the history of gardening in Scotland and Scotland’s rich gardening past

~ A short history of gardening in Scotland

~ Famous Scottish gardens and plant hunters

~ Plants that flourish in Scotland

Seasonal What to do in the Garden

Each workshop will focus on what we should be doing over 6 periods of the year.

If gardening is new to you or you just need to brush up on techniques then join us for a series of practical workshops every two months where we share with you the seasonal tasks you can do in the garden. These workshops encompass the whole of the garden such as trees, hedges, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, annuals, bulbs, herbs and fruit and veg. To ensure you feel confident and enjoy your garden whether it be a small garden, larger gardens or gardening in pots and containers.

March / April

May / June

July / August

September / October

November / December

Workshop Dates 2014 

1st March ~ Seasonal March / April

15th March ~ Planning a border or garden

29th March ~ Woodland Gardening

12th April ~ Gardening on the wild side

26th April ~ Scottish Gardens

10th May ~ Seasonal May / June

24th May ~ Plants that excite

7th June ~ Foliage in the Garden

5th July ~ Seasonal July . August

19th July ~ Scottish Gardens

2nd August ~ Foliage in the Garden

16th August ~ Woodland Gardening

30th August ~Seasonal September . October

13th September ~ Plants That Excite

27th September ~ Gardening on the Wild Side

11th October ~ Planning a border or garden

25th October ~Seasonal November / December