Author: carolinewright201

After being a course leader and lecturer in Horticulture at Nottingham Trent University for nearly 20 years I am now working on a new venture in Limousin, France. In our plant nursery and garden school we aim to carry on sharing our passion for horticulture and natural crafts.
Specialist subjects include plant science, propagation, plant identification, specialist traditional and modern pruning and maintenance techniques. We also teach greenwood crafts, weaving, stained glass art and other crafts using natural materials.

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A couple of years ago we visited Monet’s garden in Giverny in late May. Until then I had never been a big fan of Iris, but the display of hundreds of varieties of Iris there all in colour co-ordinated blocks mixed with other early flowering herbaceous perennials was stunning! Since then we have been building our Iris collection in our garden and this year we have introduced some new named varieties for sale on the nursery.

We love purple, blue and bronze combinations here at Le Jardin Créatif and have grown a selection of Iris species and cultivars in this colour spectrum amongst perennials that compliment them well such as Thalictrum aquilegifolium and Lysimachia ‘Firecracker’ and ornamental grasses such as Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’. Growing Iris amongst other perennials also helps to extend interest and hides the fading foliage once they have finished flowering.

Monet’s Garden in May

Iris are easy to grow and the warm summer soils suit them well and they establish quickly. Their fat rhizomes allow them to survive periods of drought and they are hardy enough to survive the coldest winters. They need very little maintenance except to cut back the foliage as the leaves fade and deadheading regularly keeps them flowering for longer and promotes stronger rhizomes as the energy they use for producing seed is diverted to the rhizomes for storage.

May at Le Jardin Créatif

We have 8 different Iris cultivars available and lots of perennials for a stunning May display available at the nursery. We are open Saturdays 10am-4pm. You can browse our plant list here:

plant-list-march-2021-1Download

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Did you know that our nursery is totally off grid? Here at Le Jardin Créatif we have no mains water to our property or to our nursery and we do not have any mains electricity up at the nursery.

In the beginning we started with a couple of watering cans and one, 1000L water storage tank or ‘cuve’. We quickly realised that we needed more water and a more efficient way of watering. We now have over 25000L capacity for storing collected rain water – we have installed a simple solar powered system with a small solar panel, battery and a 12v pump so that we have pressure to use a hose – but we still do this by hand because hand watering is much more water efficient than any automated system and it means that we can assess all of our plants each evening when we water. It takes about an hour for us to water the nursery each evening during the hot weather. We rarely water our garden or potager and we use ‘grey’ water collected from our shower and sink for this purpose.

This winter we have also been experimenting with LED lighting. These low energy ‘grow lights’ can run off 12v and have specially adapted colours to provide the right wavelengths of light for plant propagation and the early stages of plant growth.

We propagate everything ourselves on the nursery using traditional techniques and we do not use pesticides so everything is low key and low impact on the environment. By producing all of our plants by hand in small batches we are able to be competitive on price and offer varieties that are a little bit different and our niche is hardy herbaceous perennials, ornamental grasses, herbs and aromatics, ‘ornamental edibles’ and a few unusual shrubs.

We like to be able to offer planting advice to our nursery customers who come along on Saturdays with a range of gardening questions, we love to share our passion for plants, our expertise and our years of experience.

We also do on site consultancy if you would like more detailed advice on your own garden – please see our web page ‘Garden design and consultancy’ for our range of services and prices.

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This online course was first developed when our ‘hands on’ practical course had to be cancelled due to the first period of confinement in 2020. Now we have a full year of videos, articles and a calendar to link it all together and are publishing it as a package. The course is aimed at complete beginners and novice gardeners who want to improve their success in the potager and covers the cultivation of a range of easy veg crops as well as the principles of crop rotation, organic growing, soil management, companion planting, harvesting and storing techniques.

You will get access to a range of videos (currently 24 short videos) that take you through the gardening year as well as articles in PDF format to accompany the videos and give a little more in depth information. There is a calendar to help you to sequence the sowing and growing throughout the year.

You can also access additional support by emailing us with questions.

Watch a sample video: Seed sowing under protection

Vegetable Growing for Beginners

This online course allows you to access videos and articles that guide you through the year. Aimed at beginners the tutorials cover basic techniques to prepare, sow and grow a range of easy vegetables as well as looking at principles and techniques for successful organic growing. Once we receive notification of your payment, we will contact you by email with a link to our You Tube channel and attach our articles & calendar.

€35.00

If you have any questions or are finding it difficult to use the online payment or view the sample video please use the contact form below to get in touch:

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Have you ever wanted to try the skill of grafting? This specialist propagation technique takes a little patience and practice but can be mastered by beginners with a little guidance. We are offering this half day course on Thursday 18th February 2021: 1.00pm-4.00pm. 40 Euros per person including all materials and light refreshments.

Graft2 (2)

You will learn a little about the science behind the technique and then have a go at grafting your own fruit tree. We will provide you with two dwarfing rootstocks and a selection of heritage apple varieties to graft (you will make two grafted trees to take home) but if you have your own tree that you would like to propagate then please bring some along, use the contact form below to contact us to find out how to harvest grafting material from your tree.

All tools and materials will be provided. Part of the workshop will take place outside so please wear warm work clothing. This technique does need some manual dexterity and patience! You will take home your grafted maiden trees with full instructions on how to care for them in the first year to maximise success. (Typical success rates for grafted trees is around 75% but if your graft doesn’t work first time you can use the rootstock again to have another go).

Places are limited so Please use the contact form to request booking information or  if you have any questions about the workshop or would like information on how to harvest grafting material from your existing tree:

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Do you have an overgrown and neglected orchard and don’t know where to start? Would you like to establish a new orchard or fruit garden? Would you like to include decorative forms of fruit trees in your ornamental garden or potager? At Le Jardin Créatif we have years of experience in specialist pruning and training of fruit trees and run a range of half day and full day courses and workshops during February and early March covering different types of pruning and training of fruits. Each course will cover the basic botanical principles that are useful to know for understanding the practical techniques. This is then followed up with practical demonstrations and the opportunity to practice the techniques. The courses are designed so that they can be accessed separately to cover one specialist subject, or you can book onto two or all three to benefit from the full range of information or you can book us to come out for a bespoke session at your own orchard.

Half day workshop: Pruning and Training of young orchard trees; How to plan, plant and train a young orchard of ‘top fruits’; this half day course will cover the principles of choosing and planting orchard trees and will look at the principles and practices of training young standard trees for maximum health and productivity. We will also look at a range of bush fruits if time allows. This workshop will take place at Le Jardin Créatif on 15th February 1-4pm.  35€ (6 places available)

Espalier trained pear

Half day workshop: Training of decorative forms of Fruit: This half day specialist course takes place at Le Jardin Créatif and explores the training and pruning of decorative forms of tree including espalier, fan, and cordon forms from initial planting and training to ongoing maintenance. These specialist forms are excellent for smaller gardens and for adding decorative dividers and boundaries to your garden or potager. Tuesday 16th February 1-4pm. 35€ (6 places available)

Newly grafted apple varieties

We also run half day ‘Grafting’ workshops in February where you can learn the art and science of Grafting and graft your own fruit trees. 40€ per person. You will take home 2 grafted apple trees on dwarfing rootstocks, you will have a choice of varieties from our heritage apple collection. We are running a session on Thursday 18th February 1-4pm, or we can do a group booking on a date to suit. This could be combined with any of the above dates. (6 places available)

Pruning, maintenance and renovation of mature orchard trees Individual consultation; We are offering half day and full day sessions where we come out to your orchard and give you guidance and training in the renovation and management of a mature or overgrown orchard. Starting with a little plant physiology to help you to understand the principles of how different pruning techniques affect the flow of energy around the tree and the influence on plant growth. We will discuss a management plan for your orchard renovation, followed by a demonstration and practical training in the techniques, any remaining time will be spent helping you to carry out the pruning. Half day workshop 100€ Full day workshop 200€ plus travel expenses. (We bring our own tools, packed lunch and both of us!)

To book onto any of the above courses please use the contact form below to request booking information, individual consultation, group bookings or further information about any of the courses. Places are limited but we can put extra dates on if necessary.

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This year we will be running a choice of workshops in December:

Traditional Christmas Wreath – A pair of Chicken Wire Robins.

Because of the current situation we are advertising most of our dates as ‘bubble group’ bookings; where you choose a date and an activity and come along together with people that you meet regularly with. The sessions are 1-4pm (although there is some flexibility for group bookings) and will include all materials and light refreshments. Each workshop is 35 euros per person. All dates will be booked on ‘first come first served basis’ if your chosen date has already been reserved, please get in touch to see what alternatives we can offer.

Please note that we cannot ‘mix and match’ wreaths and robins on the same workshop, but we could offer a full day covering the two activities if your group wants to make both. (bring a packed lunch)

We have the following dates available for ‘Bubble Bookings’ (minimum of 4 people and maximum of 6 or 7):

Wednesday 9th, (Provisionally reserved)

Thursday 10th, Saturday 12th December (Saturday 12th now reserved)

Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th, Saturday 19th December: still available

For individual bookings and groups of less than 4:

Tuesday 8th – Robins (now fully booked)

Tuesday 15th December (Now reserved)

Please use the contact form below to enquire about places/availability and to request booking information or to enquire about any different dates:

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We will be offering another chance to make chicken wire Allium flowers on this popular workshop.

This half day workshop teaches you some basic chicken wire sculpture skills and you will make 3 Allium flowers on spikes to decorate your garden. They flower all year round!!

The workshop will run from 1-4pm on Thursday 15th October

35€ per person. Light refreshments are included as well as all materials  to make 3 flower heads on spikes.

Places are limited so please use the contact form below to enquire about availability and request booking information:

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Learn how to create flower sculptures out of chicken wire for the garden.  These beautiful harebell (or maybe Dierama flowers) are made over a full day workshop that includes the materials to make three flowers on a spike (height approximately 1. 2 metres).

Thursday 29th October 2020 10.00-4.30 – cost; 55€ per person.

We are able to serve refreshments (tea/coffee/cold drinks) but you will need to bring a packed lunch.

THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULLY BOOKED PLEASE GET IN TOUCH USING THE CONTACT FORM BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS WORKSHOP AT A LATER DATE

Places are limited so please get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page if you would like to book a place.

Chicken wire is fairly malleable and easy to bend using pliers but does require a little strength and dexterity, plus a little patience to make a large or complex sculpture. This workshop is suitable for beginners – we will assist anyone who requires a little help to complete their flowers.

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We will be offering another chance to make chicken wire Allium flowers on this popular workshop.

This half day workshop teaches you some basic chicken wire sculpture skills and you will make 3 Allium flowers on spikes to decorate your garden. They flower all year round!!

The workshop will run from 1-4pm on Thursday 15th October

35€ per person. Light refreshments are included as well as all materials  to make 3 flower heads on spikes.

THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULLY BOOKED – WE HAVE ADDED AN EXTRA DATE ON 15TH OCTOBER, PLEASE USE THE CONTACT FORM BELOW TO REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Places are limited so please send us an email if you would like to book onto this workshop: lejardincreatif87@gmail.com

or you can use the contact form below:

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Learn some basic weaving skills and make an ‘Acorn’ lantern for indoor or outdoor use.

You will create your own lantern to take home with you (all materials for the willow lantern are included in the cost) Add your own battery powered or solar lights to create a unique and subtle indoor or outdoor light.

This is a good beginners piece for anyone who wants to learn willow weaving or willow sculpture. More advanced courses will be running throughout the year.

Willow ‘Acorn’ Lantern

You will need to wear comfortable ‘work’ clothes and bring a pair of light gardening gloves. Willow is a flexible material but moderate strength and dexterity in your hands and wrists are beneficial. We can help you if necessary.

Thursday 6th October 2020 1.00- 4.00 pm 38€ per person

THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULLY BOOKED, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH TO REQUEST AN EXTRA DATE To book a place on this workshop you can use the online payment system below. Once we receive notification of your booking we will send you further details by email. If you have any trouble using this system or prefer to pay by cheque then you an use the contact form to check availability and request a booking form:


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