The rain hasn’t been constant, and it certainly hasn’t kept us indoors, but everything feels a little damp, and we’ve reached for waterproofs for the first time in months.
Despite the drizzle, it has been a lively and rewarding week, beginning with our first Niffing workshop led by Jenny “Niff” Barnes.
Jenny ‘Niff’ Barnes (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening)
For those who haven’t come across her before, Niff is something of a gardening phenomenon.
You may have seen her on Gardeners’ World, in magazines, or on social media.
She has developed an extraordinary method of pruning roses that is as much art as horticulture, transforming them into sculptural, bare-branched forms that provide year-round interest.
The three workshops she is running with us this season sold out quickly, but she will return next year.
If you’d like to hear when new dates are released, let us know and we’ll add you to our mailing list.
Certificate in Practical Horticulure training climbers (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening)
This week’s class drew students from across the country – from Devon, Kent, Warwickshire, and Hertfordshire, as well as closer to home – all eager to learn how to “Niff” their own roses.
It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm, and we’re already looking forward to seeing the results of their ‘Niffing’ in the weeks ahead.
Our Certificate in Practical Horticulture students were also learning about pruning and training – a perfect subject for this time of year.
We began with the fundamentals: why we prune, when to do it, and how to approach different shrubs and roses.
Once you understand the principles, pruning becomes one of the most satisfying jobs in the garden.
If you’d like to learn more (and catch a glimpse of Niff’s work while you’re here), there are still a few places left on next week’s Pruning Shrubs & Roses course.
Over in the veg patch, we ran another popular Your Veg Patch course, welcoming a mix of beginners and more experienced growers – including someone who travelled from as far away as Switzerland!
It’s always inspiring to see how shared enthusiasm for growing food brings people together.
The day covered how to set up a productive patch, the importance of soil care and crop rotation, managing pests and diseases, and choosing what to grow for a rewarding, tasty harvest.
Niffing roses (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening)
There was plenty of lively discussion, and everyone left eager to put ideas into practice.
As the season turns, our attention is shifting to the festive period.
If you’re thinking about joining one of our Christmas Wreath Workshops, don’t leave it too late – these are some of our most popular sessions and always book up fast.
Upcoming courses: • Pruning Shrubs & Roses – 19 November • Fruit Tree Care – 20 November • Developing an Annual Maintenance Plan – 26 November • Christmas Wreath Workshops – 28 November, 4 & 5 December • Introduction to Garden Design – from 8 January • Certificate in Practical Horticulture – from 9 January
Agerantina ligustrina (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening)
Plant of the Week
Ageratina ligustrina, formerly known as Eupatorium ligustrinum, is an attractive evergreen shrub native to Mexico and Central America.
It produces clusters of fluffy, fragrant white flowers from late summer through autumn, providing valuable nectar for bees and butterflies when few other plants are in bloom.
The glossy, deep green, privet-like leaves create a dense, bushy form that can reach up to 3 metres in height.
Best grown in full sun or light shade and moist but well-drained soil, it appreciates a sheltered, frost-free position.
Light pruning after flowering helps maintain shape.
Ideal for adding late-season colour and wildlife interest to the garden.
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