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Gardening Through the Seasons

Course code: P09412

Subject area: Learning for Wellbeing

Study level: Part Time

Course level: U

Course details

Course time:

12:15 - 14:15

Days of week:

Wednesday

Course date:

15th Apr 2026 - 1st Jul 2026

Course location:

Abingdon Campus

Contact details

Email:

enquiries@abingdon-witney.ac.uk

Phone:

01235 555 585

Apply for this course
This gardening course provides hands-on experience in the college’s thriving allotment and polytunnel, working in all-weather with classroom support. Learn propagation, composting, and plant care.
This practical, hands-on course is ideal for beginners looking to gain confidence in gardening. You’ll gain experience working on the College allotment and in the polytunnel, learning how to grow and care for flowers, vegetables and herbs throughout the seasons. Alongside developing practical skills in propagation, soil preparation, composting and plant maintenance, you’ll build knowledge of plant biology, soil science and sustainable gardening principles through classroom-based learning.

By the end of the course, you’ll understand how to create and maintain healthy growing spaces while supporting biodiversity and environmentally responsible practices.

Please note that this is not an RHS qualification course, nor is it affiliated with any of the horticulture programmes delivered at our Common Leys campus. The course is specifically designed for gardening enthusiasts seeking to develop their knowledge and practical skills for personal interest, rather than as a formal professional qualification.

Please note there are no classes during half term.

Course units
The course will explore:

- Sustainable gardening practices including recycling household waste items.

- Gardening to increase biodiversity and provide food and shelter for wildlife.

- Budget friendly ways to increase plant stock including taking shoot and root cuttings, dividing plants, sowing seeds.

- Reducing garden and household waste by composting.

- Harvesting rainwater and efficient watering strategies.

- Using free resources such as eggshells, cardboard to improve soil.

- Designing Summer themed planted containers.

- Pruning and dead heading techniques to maximise flowering potential of plants.

- Maintaining the summer garden and preparing for the growing season.

- Wildflower meadows and the creation of small-scale wildflower meadows.

- The pros and cons of “No mow May.”

- Different plant types and how they can be combined to best effect in the garden.

You will need: Gardening gloves (if you choose to wear them, not essential), clothes and footwear suitable for practical gardening.

Participants may like to start collecting useful resources such as: empty toilet roll tubes, clean empty milk cartons, packing paper as used by online retailers, clean, empty plastic food containers of various sizes. You will be advised in advance which weeks these resources will be used.

What next?
Continuing to Garden Through the Seasons. Keep growing your skills with advanced allotment planning, crop rotation techniques, and sustainable gardening methods. Consider joining a specialist workshop or mentoring new gardeners in the community.
Entry criteria
No previous knowledge or experience necessary. All welcome.
Fee information
As part of your course we may organise trips to assist you with your learning. Trips are optional, and you will not be penalised if you choose not to participate.

There are bursaries available to help you with other course costs. Call 01235 216 212 for more information.

The rules on fee reduction are complicated and we would encourage you to talk to our Admissions staff on 01235 216 400 to discuss your options. You can find more information on our Fees and Bursaries page - search "Fees and Bursaries" at the top of the page.

19+ Fee:

£219.50

19+ Reduced Fee:

£112.25

ASF Full Cost

£690.00

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