Fernery, fieldwork and the quiet work of care

Step into the garden at The Steading and take part in shaping a living landscape. This hands-on day session invites you to work alongside the Tim Stead Trust team, contributing directly to the care and development of the garden as an extension of the building and its wider ecology.

At the heart of this experience is the creation of new garden structures and systems. You will take part in establishing a fernery, working with shade, moisture and placement to create the conditions these plants need to thrive. Alongside this, you will help build dead hedges using natural materials gathered on site, learning how these structures support biodiversity, provide habitat and quietly hold the edges of the garden.

The session also includes ongoing maintenance work, offering a grounded understanding of what it takes to care for a place over time. Tasks will respond to the season and the needs of the garden, from light clearing and planting to soil care and material reuse.

A key part of the day is learning to see and record what is already here. You will be guided through plant identification, developing a closer awareness of species, growth patterns and relationships within the garden. This knowledge will feed into simple recording methods, contributing to a growing understanding of the site and its changes over time.

As part of this work, you will also take part in the care of The Steading’s thyme roof. This unique feature, reinstated as both a living surface and a gesture towards Tim Stead’s original vision, requires careful weeding and attention. Working here offers a different perspective on the building, where architecture and planting meet, and where maintenance becomes a form of quiet, ongoing making.

Set within The Steading, this work is part of a wider way of thinking. The garden is not separate from the building or the woodland, but part of the same system of making, care and attention.

This is a participatory experience. One that values contribution, observation and shared learning.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. 

Includes

• Hands on gardening session

• Fernery creation and dead hedge building

• Thyme roof care and maintenance

• Plant identification and recording guidance

• Refreshments

• Lunch

• An informal tour of The Steading

Tickets

General: £15

Spaces are limited to ensure a supported and meaningful experience.

Come to take part in the making and care of The Steading garden, and to understand how even the smallest actions contribute to a larger living system.

For any other information please contact info@timsteadtrust.org