What's On and Things To Do Around Rutland

4 very different gardens in a lovely village. Park and start your visit at Prebendal House, next door to the Church. 4 acres surround the house (not open), built in 1688 as a summer palace for the Bishop of Lincoln. Incl are extensive herbaceous borders, topiary and a sunken water garden.

Join local artist Sandra Peck for a really enjoyable, relaxed and informative day. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or have been painting for a while, you can sit up close and watch a detailed demonstration before then having a go at your own pace, with help as you need it throughout the day.

This is a special day of informal walks and talks hosted by writer, broadcaster and rose fan Stuart Dixon. So if you’re looking for a particular variety or just love roses, join Stuart to tour the Gardens and learn more- there’s no booking necessary and you’re welcome to join him for as long as you like.

Join our award-winning botanical, garden and landscape lensman Hemant Jariwala and learn to take great garden photos with your smartphone. You’ll begin by getting to grips with smartphone technology, from its limitations to its numerous advantages.

Still evolving bold contemporary design with formal lawns, grass amphitheatre and turf viewing mound, herbaceous borders and cutting garden. Praire style planting showing vibrant colour in late summer.

Ever wondered exactly what some of those beasties are as you work in the garden? Sally Cunningham’s course is an introduction to garden pests and predators, and the others which simply live in your garden minding their own business.

Come along and enjoy 2 hours of Show Tunes, Film Themes, Big Band, Classical, Ballads, Orchestral, Jazz and Popular Easy Listening Favourites played by top professional artistes on electronic keyboard orchestra instruments. Free light refreshments during the 30 minute interval.

Come and meet members of the local Hardy Plant Society to find out all you need to know about caring for and growing the plants that love our climate.

Meet our horticultural historian and find out what our ancestors grew for food and medicine.

Are you a virgin veg grower? Want to learn which seedlings are weeds and what’s a plant, or are you nervous about taking on more than you can dig? Join Sally Cunningham to find out how to start growing vegetables- even if your garden is small or non-existent.

Bring the children for a backyard safari around Barnsdale, to look for some of the creatures you might find there and see what they’re doing. Try pond dipping, bird-spotting and bug hunting, or make an insect home.

Join local artist Sandra Peck for a really enjoyable, relaxed and informative day. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or have been painting for a while, you’ll have a chance to sit up close and watch a detailed demonstration and then have a go at your own pace, with help as you need it throughout...

Families of all ages can join garden designer Chris Allen to learn some amazing facts about what goes on in your garden.

Learn how to really capture the essence of your favourite special places with award-winning botanical and garden photographer Hemant Jariwala.

Come and try this most English of games in the delightful setting of Barnsdale’s glorious gardens, and treat yourself to a chilled glass of Pimms’ for a spot of genteel refreshment!

Guildhall Fairs returns to Rutland for their annual: Antiques in the County Major 2 day Antiques and Collectors show This huge event includes hundreds of traders in the Rutland Suite, Shopping Arcades, Marquee and substantial outdoor arena.

Come for a fun family day full of activities to help you find out more about the insect pals and pests in your back yard. Meet local beekeeper Stuart Taylor who supplies the Barnsdale Gardens gift shop- you’ll be able to get a close-up look at a frame of live honeybees and find out how his delicious honey is made.

Discover a range of plants that are perfect for the shady areas in your garden and clever ways to improve growing conditions and broaden your scope for planting.

If you love growing your own food then Barnsdale is the place to be this weekend. We’ll be opening up the productive areas that are normally off-limits to visitors, and our veggie expert will be available to advise you on your own production and chat about her favourite subject!

Join local artist Sandra Peck for a really enjoyable, relaxed and informative day. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or have been painting for a while, you’ll have a chance to sit up close and watch a detailed demonstration and then have a go at your own pace, with help as you need it throughout the...

Join our award-winning botanical, garden and landscape lensman Hemant Jariwala and learn to take great garden photos with your smartphone. You’ll begin by getting to grips with smartphone technology, from its limitations to its numerous advantages.

A special day of informal walks and talks hosted by Radio 4’s Matthew Biggs. Matt will be touring the Gardens to discover the interesting species that you might otherwise miss, and you are welcome to join him for as long as you like.

In these days of global warming and changing weather patterns, the term ‘putting your garden to bed for winter’ no longer really applies, but there are still plenty of jobs that need to be carried out before the cold weather really kicks in.

Being able to compost all that free material that we generate at home and in the garden is an exciting thought. This course will show you how! Nick Hamilton takes a look at what can and cannot be composted, the requirements of a compost heap, activators, turning a heap and the pros and cons of each type of compost bin.

Join local artist Sandra Peck for another really enjoyable, relaxed and informative day, painting this lovely scene of light amongst the trees in the Avenue, on the approach to Barnsdale.

Roses are notorious for being tricky to trim so if you’re petrified of pruning, we’ve got just the course for you!

Led by Nick Hamilton, this course is aimed at both gardening novices and those who want to find out more about growing and ‘pest-proofing’ their vegetables the natural way.

Top up your energy reserves with a Barnsdale Full English Breakfast before setting off at 10.30am on a very special guided tour of Barnsdale Gardens with Nick Hamilton at this colourful time of year.

We are delighted to add Uppingham to our 2018 calendar with an October Festival, in the centre of town on the market place. Food, music, beer and cider festival together with some special seasonal activities and entertainments all contribute to this Autumnal celebration.

While many of us are more than competent to design and decorate our homes the ideas can often dry up as soon as we move outside. Just where is the best place for a patio or path, the shed, greenhouse or arbour? And of course the whole question of choosing and using plants taxes many of us!

Meet expert spotters and take a special tour of the Gardens with local naturalist Phil Rudkin. You can chat with our clever makers of bird boxes and bug hotels or make a simple bird feeder yourself to take home.

Grab your secateurs and join country craftsman John Shone to learn the art of basket weaving and create a beautiful garden trug to take home.

If the thought of pruning your shrubs brings you out in a cold sweat, then this is the course for you! Join Barnsdale’s Head Gardener Jon Brocklebank as he tackles plants in the various pruning groups in two hours of easy-to-follow practical demonstrations.

Aimed at both experienced and novice growers, Nick Hamilton’s course will show you the many ways you can extend your growing season; learn all about different vegetable varieties, propagation by seed, growing in beds, storage, and the importance of catch crops.

If it’s a blasted heath or a sunny cliff top, an urban pocket handkerchief or just a tiny patio, whatever the size and site of your garden there’s a fruit that will love growing there.

If your garden is not achieving everything you envisaged and you’re unsure what to do, then join internationally renowned garden designer David Stevens for this very special workshop.

Join local artist Sandra Peck for another really enjoyable, relaxed and informative day. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or have been painting for a while, you’ll have a chance to sit up close and watch a detailed demonstration and then have a go at your own pace, with help as you need it throughout...

Come for a walk in the Weird Woods where you can take part in a spot of spooky apple bobbing and carve your own petrifying pumpkin to take home- it’s frightening fun for all the family, and kids in costume visit free!

Lots of plants can be had for free by swapping cuttings with friends and family, or propagating your own. If you’re new to all this, or just want to learn more, then join Nick Hamilton to find out all about the different methods of stem, root and leaf cutting, division and layering.