Practical permaculture gardening
Unlock the power of nature-based design to create resilient, productive and wildlife-friendly gardens that adapt to climate challenges. Learn hands-on techniques for soil health, food and medicine growing, water conservation, companion planting, and biodiversity — and watch your garden flourish sustainably year-round.
Course Content
Fully outdoors, this is a hands-on weekend exploring beneficial growing relationships, eco-friendly pest control, mulching and no dig systems and planting to maximise yields/increased harvests. You’ll spend a large part of the weekend in our forest garden at Stanmer Park, applying your learning, with the chance to develop your own designs toward the end of the weekend.
You’ll explore through practical permaculture activities:
- growing annual and perennial food crops and companion planting
- designing for a low-maintenance/no-dig garden
- increasing and maintaining soil fertility, to achieve a healthy and plentiful harvest throughout the year
- composting, chemical-free pest control and home-brewed plant-feeds
- cultivating to attract beneficial wildlife
- rainwater harvesting
Who is this course for?
This course is open to anyone aged 16 or over who is interested in applying Permaculture ideas in their home garden, community garden or allotment. It is suitable for complete beginners as well as those with some experience who wish to increase the sustainability and productiveness of their plots. You may have some prior knowledge about, or qualifications in, Permaculture but this is not a necessity as we will cover some basic theory.
This hands on course will be taught entirely outdoors.
Please note that, unfortunately, this course is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Course Tutors
Fran Pickering
Fran is a permaculture tutor, carpenter, and has oversight of our Permaculture Plot forest garden at Stanmer.
Course reviews & feedback
This two-day course runs from 9.30am to 5pm in Stanmer Park, Brighton.
2026 Course
Saturday 6 – Sunday 7 June 2026
Venue
The Plot at Stanmer Park (near University of Sussex)
Brighton
Map & Directions
Fees
Fees include tuition, refreshments, handouts and information sheets.
Sponsored / Organisation rate
£247.50
Individual income: more than 25k/yr
£247.50
Individual income: 18-25k/yr
£200.00
Individual income: less than 18k/yr
£152.50
Individual: Concessionary rate
£84.00
(check eligibility)
Concessionary places are limited.
Our commitment to affordability relies on voluntary support.
ACCOMMODATION
If you intend to book accommodation, please check availability before booking a place, as accommodation in Brighton can be hard to find, especially over the summer months.
Get details of local accommodation and Brighton Permaculture Trust supporters who can provide accommodation in their homes.
BOOKING
Booking is essential, as most of our courses/events are fully booked weeks in advance. However, if places are still available, then bookings can be made until midday the day before the course/event. A place is not secured until we have received the requested payment.
If you have completed the booking process but you haven’t received a confirmation email from us please contact us to check your booking has gone through.
If you are booking within two weeks of the event, or the event is nearly full, you will not have the option to pay by BACS. Instead, you will need to pay immediately using a credit/debit card or PayPal.
ACCESSIBILITY
If you have any accessibility needs or concerns, please contact us in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Have questions?
For any enquiries or if you need further information, feel free to reach out. We’re here to help!