Festival of Horticulture

Join us as we celebrate all things gardening in our first ever Festival of Horticulture – a free-to-attend event packed with interactive activities, workshops and demonstrations for all the family. There will be a number of exhibitions and demonstrations on display throughout the event. Activities include plant and craft sales, guest speakers, children’s activities and a gardeners’ question time.

Students and staff from our Gardening and Landscaping department will be on hand to showcase some of the College’s fantastic facilities and will be able to answer any queries relating to Gardening and Landscaping courses offered at Bridgend College. Refreshments will be available throughout the event from a number of catering vendors.

What’s on…

Bridgend College Student from Construction.

Growing edibles (Workshop)

11.30am – 12.15pm

Simple solutions for growing fruit and vegetables – everything from lettuces to melons.

Design shop (Workshop)

1 – 1.45pm

Learn how to use basic methods to design your own space using a variety of sample materials available in our modern workshop. This includes how to incorporate hard and soft landscape elements, planting considerations and an idea of costs for projects.

Gardeners’ question time (Workshop)

1.45 – 2.30pm

A panel of expert horticulturists who can answer your gardening questions, including what to plant where, fruit and vegetable growing and resolving growing problems.

Plant sales

All day

A number of nurseries across South Wales will be selling plants throughout the event, including the College’s own stock produced by our students and staff.

Demonstrations and talks

Bonsai display

All day

Come and see a wide variety of species professionally presented at a drop-in exhibition on campus.

Hard landscaping

All day

Drop in demonstrations on block paving, gGarden walling, timber features and more. These demonstrations will be run by some of the current students and staff at the College.

Trade supplier stands

All day

Visit a range of trade suppliers from the garden and landscape industry.

Virtual reality and 3D design

10.45 – 11.45am

This is an opportunity to experience digital design and how virtual reality software can bring landscape design projects to life.

Love your lawn

11.45am – 12.15pm

Guidance and ideas to improve and care for the green heart of your garden.

Fertilisers for free

12.15

This talk focuses on soil improvement and regeneration without the use of expensive fertilisers, using a more organic approach.

Soil health and management

11.45 – 12.15pm

Testing soil samples to ensure the healthy growth of your plants. The demonstration includes how to test for pH and testing for moisture levels, as well as a discussion on how to improve your soil.