From feedback from the last 2 years of plant identification workshop, the gnomes are happy to release a continuation course for learning about plant identification through patterns. The two identical workshops (just go to one) are on Sunday 2nd and 9th July 10:00am - 3:00pm

This workshop will equip you with the tools so you can start identifying a plant anywhere in the world and will enable to you to teach yourself and to use a plant identification book confidently. By learning more plant families and becoming more familiar with plant parts and how plants grow, you will easily be able to identify a good percentage of plants in the UK to family level.

What are we expecting to do?

- Refresh our knowledge of the most common plant families, a method to allow to start identifying any plant in the world

- How to use a key-based plant identification book more easily.

- Learn up to five more very common and useful plant families.

- Eat a tasty lunch. YUM.

- Gain a deeper understanding of a plant's ecology, biology and edibility, including learning about and looking at some non-flowering plant families.

- Learn the most common species found in the locality and what families they belong to.

- You will go home with a booklet of key plant I.D information containing the plant families you learnt, a list of resources, some nice pictures of plant parts and some information on edibility.

Who is it for?

This course is aimed those who have already done the introduction to plant families course or those familiar with the concept of plant families but do not feel confident in identifying plants to family levels, or know only a handful of plant families. If you have more than a couple season's of plant identification experience and are confident in identifying mutiple plant families and plant parts with ease, this course is not for you.

Other details

Please, if you have one, bring a copy of Rose's 'The wildflower key' and a a hand lens. There are spares though so not to worry if you don't have one.

Cost is 15 - 30 pounds depending on income. This is a spectrum from unemployed/concession to part-time to full-time employment. We will however not turn anyone away so please get in touch if you can't afford this. Please enquire if you are not sure where you fall on this spectrum.

Lunch is provided but with no dietary requirements in mind. Please get in touch if you have a dietary requirement.

Please note: We would love one helper who can help set up in the morning and pack down afterwards. If you are willing to do so you will have a free place on the course. You would help 30 minutes before and 30 minutes afterwards, so 9:30 to 15:30. The helper is picked by random a week before the course starts.

Please note also that Ben is happy for experienced identifiers to shadow him. Please get in contact about this possibility.

To book a place, to pay, or for more information

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL. Call/text 07922513704 or email bedfordfieldsforestgarden@gmail.com. 

Payment is cash on the day or by direct bank transfer. I will send bank details upon confirmation of your booking.

The workshop will take place at Bedford Fields Community Forest Garden and the directions can be found on our website - bedfordfields.co.uk.