The Raymond Blanc Gardening School
Calling keen home gardeners and passionate allotmenteers — let your botanical skills blossom at our gardening courses!
Highlights of the Raymond Blanc Gardening School
Learn the secrets of our world-class gardens and take home our advice, ideas and inspiration for your own vegetable plot or allotment.
A day of discovery in truly enchanted surroundings learning about the magic of growing.
The Raymond Blanc Gardening School is located in the Hartley Botanic Glasshouse, which is in the heart of our beautiful garden. We will inspire the curious mind of the child as much as the adult.
Explore Japanese garden traditions, both ancient and modern, with renowned landscaper Robert Ketchell.
Discover the most effective ways in which to grow some of our favourite seasonal shoots, leaves and flowers - and how they pair with your favourite dishes.
Meet Paul Kettell and Sheila Das: the edibles experts at RHS Wisley Gardens. Together, they will offer some insights into the history of apple cultivation.
The Raymond Blanc Gardening School Customer Experience
It was a glorious sunny day as we took our seats in the glasshouse at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Robert Ketchell introduced himself. What an incredible career Robert has had.
As we explored the hotel’s Japanese garden, marvelling at animal-shaped bushes and artfully-arranged boulders, Robert explained the philosophy, symbolism and history behind the features.
At the end of a wonderful morning, we paused for a delicious lunch of vegetables picked from the potager outside.
In the afternoon we set to work ourselves. First, we created our own trayscapes, arranging sand and rocks as Robert advised on perspective and energy flow. Then we grabbed secateurs and headed outside.
When I got home that evening I went straight out into my garden and started snipping bushes into shape. I came back brimming with ideas and am all set to bring touches of Kyoto to my home.
“I absolutely love gardens! Way back in 1984, the first thing I did at Le Manoir was create the vegetable garden which would provide for my kitchen and for our guests. Now we have 11 different gardens and a 2,500-strong heritage orchard!”
