Travelling through the seasons we will explore the history, folklore and culture of three wild plants in bloom (or at least in foliage!) that month. The session will encourage you to search out plants in all seasons and enjoy the history in folklore and culture, and their use for medicines, cooking as well as the many and varied traditional names which help us trace that history.
Botanical illustration can be all about the flamboyance of a brightly coloured bloom or fruit, but nothing comes to life without the addition of leaves. On this course, we will concentrate on leaves alone, because they are so beautiful when studied and recorded in detail. Depending on the size of your chosen leaves, it will be possible to complete two, three or even four. You will then be equipped to complete the remaining ones in your own time. Before the class it would be a good idea to look at lots of leaves, so the ones you choose are all different. L
The more you draw from reality the easier it will be to develop your own style and compositions. Using the garden and greenhouses as our starting point Karin will give creative prompts to get us started and introduce new materials and techniques each week. Looking carefully at plants and drawing from observation will be our starting point, gradually introducing elements of imagination, memory and found materials. A sketchbook is a place to experiment and develop ideas.
Alpines are sometimes thought of as fussy plants that are difficult to grow well, but the truth is these ‘brave’ plants cope brilliantly with extreme conditions; you just need to understand the growing conditions they are used to. Join Simon Wallis, senior horticulturist here at the Garden, for a myth busting introduction to growing alpine plants. With Simon as your guide there will also be the chance to see the beautiful and diverse collection of alpine plants we cultivate and care for here at the Garden.
Essential oils extracted from plants are a rich source of medicinal compounds which are harnessed in aromatherapy. This course will introduce aromatherapy and essential oils, look at some of the commonly used oils and explore the plants they come from. We’ll see how the oils are extracted and what they contain and consider their different modes of use – internally, on the skin and by inhalation. How to stay safe when using essential oils and how you can ensure that you’re getting the oil you expect will be explained.
During this one day class Jemma will guide you through getting started on the embroidery, by first tracing the pattern and securing the hoop. She will then take you through threading a needle, securing your thread and show you how to create the embroidery stitches. Depending on your experience and speed of stitching, you will be able to complete two or three of the allotment blocks. You will then have the knowledge to continue to follow the instructions and finish the embroidery project in your own time.
Learn how to tackle weeds in your garden in the most time efficient and productive way. Attendees will be introduced to some common garden weeds, their life cycle, method of spreading, and the best approach to dealing with them. The workshop will cover different tools and techniques, as well as many useful tips including how to pick the best day for weeding.
Join us for a live online talk and Q&A with Prof Rebecca Kilner FRS, Director of the Museum of Zoology, Cambridge. Hear about her fascinating research into animal behaviour, and how recent work on the parental behaviour of burying beetles is changing our understanding of evolution. Ask your questions and find out more about the Museum, its collections, and how they are being harnessed for research and engagement.
Libraries and museums across the world are filled with the remnants of the Greek and Roman past: objects, manuscripts, literary works, papyri, inscriptions… not to mention copious amounts of ink spilt on understanding them. But access to this classical past has not always been equal – and, in fact, a classical education was historically the preserve of the rich. So who owns the past?
Few figures have exercised as much fascination in Western history as Julian the ‘Apostate’, the last Roman emperor to believe in the Greek gods. Hated in the Middle Ages, loved by the Enlightenment, he continues to feature in contemporary fiction from Erik Ibsen and Gore Vidal to Julian Barnes’ Elizabeth Finch (2022). But who was Julian? What drove his resistance against the final and perhaps most radical of the transformations of Roman power, its Christianisation?
