Courses

CREATIVE MAINTENANCE & NIWAKI COURSE WEDNESDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2023

We’re delighted to announce the return of our Creative Maintenance Course – the first for three years.

There are a number of tickets still available which you can buy from our online shop:

Join us on 27th September 2023. 10:00am to 4:30pm. The course will be held here at Architectural Plants, Pulborough. Guy will lead the day with an introduction and tour of the nursery. You’ll get to work with him and our Creative Maintenance, Topiary and Niwaki experts.

There’s a 10% discount on all tools purchased on the day. Lunch & refreshments will be served by The Secret Sussex Supper Club.

We would suggest that you come dressed as you would to work in your garden and also bring a light rain jacket.

Let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements.

We look forward to clipping with you.

In the past we have hosted two different levels of creative maintenance course.

The Level 1 course suited beginners and less experienced home gardeners. We looked at practise skills on potted plants on hard standing around the nursery at our site in Pulborough.

The Level 2 course suited those who had a bit more experience or were already working in the industry. Course attendees visited the first home of Architectural Plants in Nuthurst, and worked in the garden on established plants. After the course, they had time to make their way to the nursery, where we offered a 10% off plants and tools purchased on the day of the course.

See a video of one of our Level 2 courses here.

During the full-day course, Guy shared some horticultural tricks of the trade; demonstrating how to strip Trachycarpus, raise Bamboo, clip Cupressus, use a blow torch to manicure Cordylines, and lots more. Attendees also learned the delicate art of Niwaki pruning, and had plenty of opportunities to get their hands dirty and give everything a go under expert guidance and tuition.

We have also hosted a specialist Niwaki training and Clipping Course. Course clippers learned how to create, train and maintain a Niwaki.

At Architectural Plants, we’ve been growing, training and planting our own Niwaki for over 20 years. We have our own style and we work with three plants; Myrtus apiculata, Phillyrea latifolia and Quercus ilex. These are all grown by us from seed or cuttings. It’s a long process that requires skill and patience, but it’s very rewarding.

The day course suits all levels. Tuition will be provided by owner, Guy Watts, and our in-house clipper and Niwaki expert, Linda Adames.

The Course Outline

10:15am:
Registration and coffee.
10:30am – 11:30am:
A short introduction and a tour of the nursery to discover the different styles we grow and sell.
11:30am – 1:00pm:
Tool choice and tool care. Then learn to train your own Niwaki from one of our juvenile trees. These can be
purchased after the course at a reduced price.
1:00pm – 2:00pm:
Lunch.
2:00pm – 3:45pm:
Clipping and aftercare of a finished Niwaki.
3:45pm:
Coffee, debrief and questions.

On the day of the course, our attendees got 10% off any plants or tools.