Book a Pennard Plants Gardening Course

Our ongoing collaboration with

Logo for Pennard Plants with the tagline 'Growing the Dream'

We are proud to collaborate with Pennard Plants, the Somerset nursery renowned for its exceptional collection of heritage fruit, vegetable, herb, and edible ornamental varieties. Founded in 2001 and now celebrating its 25th year, Pennard has become a trusted source for gardeners seeking flavour, character and diversity in the plants they grow.

We run a roster of gardening club courses with Chris Smith, founder of Pennard Plants, at the helm.

Alongside these courses, visitors can experience Pennard’s work more directly through:

  • Kitchen Garden Show Days here at The Old Vicarage in Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset

  • Pennard’s much-loved Nursery Open Days, in East Pennard, Somerset, where the nursery’s remarkable range of plants and heritage seeds can be explored

Learn more about our collaboration and check out the dates for your diary below…

Gardening Courses

A gardening table with small terracotta pots, some filled with soil and sprouting seedlings, and others empty. A tray of young plants and gardening tools are also on the table, with seed packets and plant labels nearby.

Together, Pennard’s horticultural expertise and Asterion & Co.’s heritage-inspired learning approach come together through a programme of practical gardening courses led by Pennard plantsman Chris Smith, covering everything from vegetable growing and fruit cultivation to pruning and protected cropping.

Kitchen Garden Show Days

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Kitchen Garden Show Days |

A man tending to a lush, well-maintained garden surrounded by a brick wall. The garden features various flowering plants, potted trees, and shrubs, with a person using a gardening tool.

Wander, learn and gather inspiration in a productive working kitchen garden

Held here, at the home of Asterion & Co.
The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset, BA3 5QG

what3words: ///farmland.mixers.resonated

Hosted by Pennard Plants’ leading horticulturalist Chris Smith, with expert seed advice from Mike Milligan, in a beautifully maintained and fully planted kitchen garden.

Running from 10am to 4pm on these dates in 2026:

Thursday 7th May

Wednesday 20th May

Wednesday 10th June

Thursday 11th June

Thursday 24th September

Friday 9th October

We are delighted to offer these special Kitchen Garden Days - an opportunity to see many of our heritage varieties growing in Pennard’s new kitchen show garden.

See heritage fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible ornamentals growing in situ across beds, the glasshouse, polytunnel, orchard and ornamental borders, with all plants clearly labelled to aid your knowledge and selection.

Throughout the day you can enjoy:

  • Scheduled talks and informal guidance

  • Garden tours and refreshments

  • Tools, gardenalia and other garden items will also be available.

All labelled varieties planted in the garden will be available to purchase, ready to take home, alongside the full Pennard seed collection available in the potting shed.

Learn more and see pictures of the Pennard Kitchen Show Garden »

25 Years of Pennard Plants

In 2026 Pennard Plants marks twenty-five years of growing, selecting and sharing heritage plants with gardeners across the country. What began in 2001 as a small Somerset nursery with a deep interest in traditional varieties has gradually become one of the UK’s most respected sources for heritage fruit trees, unusual small fruits, heirloom vegetables and open-pollinated seeds.

Two men holding a black bowl together, standing outdoors with a brick wall and plants in the background.

Throughout that time the nursery has been shaped by the horticultural knowledge and quiet dedication of Chris Smith, alongside fellow Pennard owner Mike Milligan who leads the heritage seed side of the business. Together they have helped keep hundreds of traditional varieties in circulation — not simply preserved as historical curiosities, but actively grown, tasted and enjoyed in gardens and kitchen plots across Britain.

At the heart of Pennard’s work is the belief that these plants belong in cultivation. Many of the varieties the nursery champions carry stories of place, flavour and resilience that stretch back generations, and their continued survival depends on gardeners choosing to grow them.

Above all, this anniversary is an opportunity to thank the remarkable community of growers, gardeners and customers who have supported Pennard Plants over the past quarter-century. Their enthusiasm for heritage varieties is what keeps this work alive.

For a deeper look into the philosophy and horticultural approach behind the nursery, you can read our Asterion Journal feature In Conversation with Chris Smith of Pennard Plants.

A circular logo for Pennard Plants celebrating 25 years, featuring a stylized green plant with multiple branches and small fruits or berries, with a green ribbon banner at the top and bottom of the circle.

Plant Nursery Open Days

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Plant Nursery Open Days |

A woman in a garden orchard of potted apple and pear trees, harvesting fruit with a small knife.

A traditional nursery experience: wide choice, expert advice and full seasonal stock ready to take home

Held at Pennard Plants Nursery, East Pennard, Somerset, BA4 6TP

what3words: ///town.gliding.pranced

Hosted by Chris Smith and Mike Milligan at their working nursery, in the familiar format many customers have enjoyed for years.

Running from 10.30am to 3pm on these dates in 2026:

Thursday 26th March

Friday 3rd April

Wednesday 8th April

Sunday 7th June

Tuesday 14th July

Explore rows of new-season fruit trees and bushes, trained fruit for walls and fences, heritage vegetable plants, herbs, and edible ornamentals.

Browse the extensive Pennard Plants range of heritage and heirloom seeds, and discover a vast selection of edible plants: Shop online for Pennard Plants Seeds and Stock »