Bethan Pettitt, Brantwood’s Head Gardener Talks: The Balancing Act – A Year at Brantwood
Details
Date: 22 February 2023
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Price
£5.00 per person
Book HereKey information
Advanced booking is essential through the ‘Book Here’ button above.
We are working on providing online access to this talk. Please contact us to register your interest.
If you do not have the means to pay for a ticket, we have an access budget that enables us to provide free places for people with low incomes, who are unemployed or have other accessibility needs. Please contact us to register.
The talk starts at 6.30pm sharp. The Stable Bar will be open for drinks from 5.30pm.
Venue
The Farmer’s Arms, Lowick Green – LA12 8DT
Head Gardener Bethan Pettitt presents a richly-illustrated personal portrait of the diverse gardens of Brantwood.
Discover how her team balances the care of Brantwood’s exquisite natural environment with the needs of a historic public garden, and how they continue to innovate, inspired by Ruskin’s own upland agricultural experiments.
Highlighting how native and non-native plants thrive in harmony and dramatically increase biodiversity, Bethan’s observations are invaluable for any gardener looking to grow for beauty and ecology.
“a series of exquisite jewel-like garden islands set in a wider sea of ancient woodland” – Prof. David Ingram, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh
About the speaker:
Bethan Pettitt grew up on a small-holding in West Wales, with a childhood love of the outdoors and of plants. She spent the 1990’s committed to direct environmental activism, ‘living in treehouses – I loved it!’ Then after a short stint studying theatre, Bethan joined the influential Centre for Alternative Technology in mid-Wales, working on composting, water management and growing food, and also setting up a successful community seed saving project. Bethan then returned to education, studying at Bristol School of Art and going on to work in community arts and circus until the sudden death of a close friend brought her back to her first love, nature. Qualifying at Bristol Botanic Garden and English Heritage’s Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, a role with the National Trust first brought Bethan to the Lake District. In 2019 she was appointed to what she calls her “dream job”, as Head Gardener at John Ruskin’s former home Brantwood, on the shores of Coniston Water.
Bethan lives in Ulverston with her family and her rescue dog Dyfi. When not gardening, she enjoys playing Roller Derby and going out dancing.
