Garden Workshops

Join our expert gardeners for a series of unmissable workshops throughout the year. These small group sessions in the idyllic setting of Hillsborough Castle's gardens will teach you hands-on techniques to use at home, from creating a bee-friendly garden to designing the very best hand-tied bouquets.

Want to learn more about our gardens? Join a themed garden walk led by our gardeners to see the seasons change or see the gardens erupt in spectacular colour with over half a million bulbs in bloom for Spring Spectacular.

When

Selected dates from 15 March to 06 December

10.30 - 12.30

Ticketing information

Tickets on sale soon.

Ticket prices:

St Patricks Day Workshop, Seed Sowing, Growing Vegetables, Summer Propagation and Summer Bouquets Workshops - £45 (non-members) / £35 (members)

Autumn Bouquets, Christmas Wreaths - £55 (non-members) / £45 (members).

Please wear sturdy footwear and bring outdoor clothing (applies to all workshops).

Separate ticket (advance booking required)

An open hand full of wildflower seeds above some soil about to be sown.

St Patrick's Day gardening workshop

Date: Saturday 15 March 2025
Time: 10:30-12:30
Location: Meet in the Walled Garden

Come and join keeper of the Walled Garden Daniel Coombes and the walled garden team as they introduce you to the range of fruit and vegetables being grown this year and show you how to plant potatoes, prune roses and sow early seed. All tools and equipment are supplied. Please wear sturdy footwear and bring outdoor clothing.

Each tour starts in the Weston Pavilion at the Lower Visitors Centre and finishes back where it started. The workshop takes place in the Walled Garden and the surfaces are even.

Seed sowing workshop

Date: Saturday 12 April 2025
Time: 10:30-12:30
Location: Meet in the Walled Garden

Join the Walled Garden Team and learn how to sow a range of seeds, annuals and perennial, flowers and vegetables. Get hands on preparing compost, filling seed trays and sowing the seed, ready to take home and germinate.

A woman sowing wildflower seeds on in a lush and colourful garden with trees and flowers.

Thyme growing in the Walled Garden in autumn.

Growing vegetables for the first time

Date: Saturday 10 May 2025
Time: 10:00
Location: Meet in the Walled Garden

Join the Walled Garden Team and learn how to plant out a range of vegetables and flowers in the garden. From preparing the soil, correct spacing and planting depth to getting your line straight the team will give you expert guidance. All materials supplied.

Summer propagation

Date: Saturday 19 July 2025
Time: 10:30-12:30
Location: Walled Garden

By the end of the workshops participants we be able to identify suitable plant material to use as propagules, and will be able to select material prepare and insert cuttings of a variety of plants using different methods from the plants in the garden at Hillsborough.

An area paved with flagstones and set with flowerbeds featuring irises and other plants is in the foreground.

Summer bouquets (two workshops)

Date: Saturday 05 July 2025 and Saturday 09 August 2025
Time: 10:30-12:30
Location: Meet in West Pavilion

Participants will each harvest and condition flowers from the gardens at Hillsborough and create their own handtied bouquet under the instruction of our resident florist Lorna Brownlee.

Autumn Bouquets

Date: Thursday 04 September 10:30 - 12:30

Participants will each harvest and condition flowers from the gardens at Hillsborough and create their own handtied bouquet under the instruction of our resident florist Lorna Brownlee. Meet in Weston Pavilion.