What’s Happening Here?

Join us each month as we go behind the scenes and ask what’s happening here? There will be sneak previews of projects and events, exclusive news from the garden and plenty of tips and ideas for you to try out at home.


The Farmers’ Market

On the fourth Wednesday of each month, from September to May, you can visit the brilliant Farmers’ Market overlooked by ‘Old Joe’ on the University of Birmingham’s beautiful Edgbaston campus. It’s packed full of stallholders offering locally sourced, fairly priced and environmentally friendly produce.

And now you can find Winterbourne there too! We’ve made the short journey from the other side of Edgbaston Park Road to bring a bit of Winterbourne to the heart of the campus. Why not come and browse our carefully curated range of gifts from the Gift Shop or plants expertly grown by the Garden Team?

Farmers Market, Photograph by Maggie Bucknall, What's Happening Here?, Digging for Dirt, Winterbourne House and Garden

Photograph by Maggie Bucknall

At January’s market, Horticultural Supervisor Leighanne showcased a spectacular selection of winter-worthy perennials, ideal for creating a splash in the garden whatever the weather. The stall looked so good filled with colourful plants that we almost didn’t want to sell anything and ruin the display!

“We kicked off 2020 with a really green stall… think grasses, heather, dogwoods and ivy. So even though it was cold, the stall looked really fresh and welcoming!

Although it’s a bit gloomy out there, you can still pick up plants ready for planting in the spring. You’re more likely to see plants with good winter interest now; dogwoods with bright red and green stems, orange tinted grasses and white hellebores.

Most of the people that talked with us asked for a ‘beginners’ indoor plant for their office or bedroom that they could keep alive with minimal effort – Pittsburgh Ivy is often overlooked outdoors but as a houseplant it’s very popular. They’re tough, tolerant plants that can cope with infrequent watering and varying light levels.

Farmers Market, Photograph by Maggie Bucknall, What's Happening Here?, Digging for Dirt, Winterbourne House and Garden

Photograph by Maggie Bucknall

It’s nice to sell our plants and shop goodies but there are still so many students and staff that haven’t visited us yet! So spreading the word that there’s a lovely house and garden just down the road that’s free to staff and students is pretty important too!

Anything that didn’t sell at the farmers market is now in the shop or on the plant sales benches on the Terrace. So do pop in and have a look if you missed out!” Leighanne Gee, Horticultural Supervisor

Farmers Market, Photograph by Maggie Bucknall, What's Happening Here?, Digging for Dirt, Winterbourne House and Garden

Photograph by Maggie Bucknall


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