Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

Sarah Raven Courses

31 replies

barefootcook · 10/08/2024 00:36

Does anyone have experience of Sarah Raven's courses? I am keen to sign up for one in 2025. Is it possible to get to Perch Hill via public transport? Are there places to stay nearby? And would it be a fun experience if one was by themselves?

OP posts:
WiganPie · 10/08/2024 00:40

I don't rate Sarah Raven as a gardener/seed company but that's me.
No idea about how to get there.
You'll have fun if you go alone and you'll meet like-minded people.

yesmen · 10/08/2024 00:41

WiganPie · 10/08/2024 00:40

I don't rate Sarah Raven as a gardener/seed company but that's me.
No idea about how to get there.
You'll have fun if you go alone and you'll meet like-minded people.

Why not @WiganPie

WiganPie · 10/08/2024 00:43

I read the Gardening threads.

Original poster
barefootcook · 10/08/2024 06:02

The thing is, I will be travelling over from NZ, so don't want to waste my time on something that is not great, when I could replace it with something else. Thanks for your opinions.Daffodil

OP posts:
AlisonDonut · 10/08/2024 06:07

What is it you want to learn?

Butterflyfern · 10/08/2024 06:19

Came to ask the same as pp, what do you want to learn? What attracted you go the particular course in the first place.

Is gardening in NZ similar enough to the UK that the skills will be transferrable? I'm talking things like climate, timings, soil type etc that affect the techniques you need to to know for different plants.

As another pp said, she doesn't have a particularly strong reputation in the UK tbh. There are always MN threads about poor quality and service, but irl, I've never heard anyone coo over her either

Original poster
barefootcook · 10/08/2024 06:25

It is reasonably transferable - just back to front seasons wise! I would like to visit her garden( have seen photos of it) and then do a workshop on something like pots, planning a kitchen garden , growing cut flowers or flower arranging. At this stage I will be there in August and September which I guess will limit me a bit.

OP posts:
nettie434 · 10/08/2024 06:33

You can get to Perch Hill by train but you'll need a taxi from Etchingham. It's a lovely part of the world so I am sure you can find somewhere to stay.

Re courses, there are a lot of part time courses approved by the Royal Horticultural Society but I think they are too long for a visitor from NZ.

West Dean Gardens is also in Sussex and I think they offer lots residential courses, not just gardening but often they are for people who already know something about the subject:

https://www.westdean.ac.uk/short-courses/gardening

There certainly were places on campus when I visited the garden some years ago but of course that may all have changed.
I've no idea if they'd be fun. It depends on how friendly the other people are and if there will be other people on their own.

Gardening & Garden Design Courses | West Dean | West Dean

Green fingers? Discover courses in garden design, horticulture & landscaping or improve your gardening skills with our talks and gardening workshops.

https://www.westdean.ac.uk/short-courses/gardening

nettie434 · 10/08/2024 06:44

I meant to put places to stay on campus. I was too late to edit the post but I have checked now and they still definitely do offer this for courses of more than one day.

Everyoneesleistheproblem · 10/08/2024 06:50

I was coming on to say West Dean as I used to live there. It's very pretty and some unusual plants/ garden layouts. Plus the College itself which is great. Not cheap though.
Chichester isn't far if you wanted to other stuff and there's a bus service if you weren't hiring a car and a good train service to Gatwick ( Heathrow isn't too tricky either)

Original poster
barefootcook · 10/08/2024 07:14

Thank you. Lots of good ideas. I'll have a look.

OP posts:
WiganPie · 10/08/2024 11:05

Sorry to have been negative.
My take on SR is that she was a 'yummy mummy' who took up gardening as a hobby instead of returning to her career in medicine and got asked to do a column for a lifestyle section in a newspaper.
Her thing is lots of colour.

My reservations are that, like Monty Don, is that they aren't trained gardeners but are photogenic, educated, and have an interesting back story.

They both probably a darn sight more about gardening than I do, but there are other gardeners that I hold in higher regard.

seriesoffortunateevents · 10/08/2024 11:14

My take on SR is that she was a 'yummy mummy'

the woman is not just a qualified doctor but also now built a multi million pounds successful business. Why put her down like that, what’s her appearance got to do with ahytihg?

YorkshireIndie · 10/08/2024 11:30

David Austin do a rose course which my parents did and got a lot out of

Movinghouseatlast · 10/08/2024 11:43

Perch Hill is absolutely stunning and really does look like the photos! It's an inspirational garden though of course there are loads of gardeners to do it all.

I absolutely loved it for the surroundings and the lunch was lovely too. Its quintessentially English which I think would be part of the charm for you. It's surrounded by beautiful countryside and lovely little villages. I'd say it's worth the taxi ride from the station.

Movinghouseatlast · 10/08/2024 11:48

WiganPie · 10/08/2024 11:05

Sorry to have been negative.
My take on SR is that she was a 'yummy mummy' who took up gardening as a hobby instead of returning to her career in medicine and got asked to do a column for a lifestyle section in a newspaper.
Her thing is lots of colour.

My reservations are that, like Monty Don, is that they aren't trained gardeners but are photogenic, educated, and have an interesting back story.

They both probably a darn sight more about gardening than I do, but there are other gardeners that I hold in higher regard.

Edited

You take is incorrect which a look at her biography would tell you. She also trained as a florist having trained as a doctor. She sold seeds on a much smaller scale 25 years ago before she became 'famous'. She has written great books on gardening and built a business. She is obviously very driven. She could have sat on her arse and done fuck all, but instead of congratulating her you dismiss her. How many bestselling gardening books have you written?

WiganPie · 10/08/2024 11:55

@seriesoffortunateevents , I'm not.

Having a degree in Classics from Edinburgh (I think), is pretty impressive. Training as a doctor is amazing -. a friend is an A&E Sister and my job seems so pointless in comparison.
None of that is relevant to gardening.

Same as for MD (Magdalene College, Cambridge, I think), former jewellery designer, easy on the eye, dresses coolly. Great telly, what about the gardening?

I'm not criticizing them, or their appearance, or how they got to where they are, but that they are more 'lifestyle' than 'horticultural experts'.

WiganPie · 10/08/2024 11:56

@Movinghouseatlast , maybe she did. I still don't rate her.

gladiolionthesideboard · 10/08/2024 12:03

Perch Hill is gorgeous. Well worth visiting.

SR plants, however, are very hit and miss - more miss than hit for us tho some wonderful ones in the sale this year.

Perch Hill is v tucked away. No convenient public transport…

Original poster
barefootcook · 10/08/2024 23:34

@Movinghouseatlast - I think you have hit the nail on the head! Learning something new would be great but what I really want is to see the garden at Perch Hill and the quintessential English countryside around it.

OP posts:
expiredplants · 10/08/2024 23:43

Try Barnsdale Gardens, it was created by the late Geoff Hamilton, and he was someone who definitely knew his stuff. The gardens are inspiring and they run practical courses.

WiganPie · 11/08/2024 10:07

@barefootcook , then go! I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Sarvanga24 · 11/08/2024 10:12

Movinghouseatlast · 10/08/2024 11:43

Perch Hill is absolutely stunning and really does look like the photos! It's an inspirational garden though of course there are loads of gardeners to do it all.

I absolutely loved it for the surroundings and the lunch was lovely too. Its quintessentially English which I think would be part of the charm for you. It's surrounded by beautiful countryside and lovely little villages. I'd say it's worth the taxi ride from the station.

Agree, particularly at dahlia time obviously. Stunning place, and more bird-life than I think I have ever seen anywhere.

I did the cut flower course and it was a glorious day, really useful info in a great format, with a good lunch.

Perch Hill does feel quite remote, so no tips on getting there without a car from here, but I think it’s well worth going. Mind you, I also don’t see the problems with Sarah Raven that some have experienced - far too much money spent with her, and always got quality.

Original poster
barefootcook · 11/08/2024 19:14

@savanga24 - thank you- I think I might!

OP posts:
senua · 11/08/2024 22:40

For less than the price of one day at SR, you could join the National Trust* and see several iconic gardens in that area (or any other area, nationwide). You could probably sign up for a few courses, too, but they are not advertising summer 2025 yet. The courses are not very high-powered, though; some current examples. The only trouble with the NT is that by their nature, they tend to be remote (you don't get many multi-thousand acre country estates in the middle of built up areas!).

*Are you are member of Heritage New Zealand? - I believe there is a reciprocal agreement between them.