Saturday 28th February
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

If you have ever wondered how you identify a birch from a beech or an oak from a sycamore then this will be a great place to start.

Hawarden Estate is home to some stunning trees, with a wonderful selection of native trees as well as some interesting specimens from all corners of the globe. Our walk around the grounds will encounter many of these fascinating plants and we will explore some of the mythology and folklore around some of the species as well as delve into how to identify some of our more common species.

We will explore how other species interact with trees, like fungi and lichens, as well as take in the reasons why some cultures have a strong relationship with Yew Trees, why Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread, why burning Elder wood may not be wisest of ideas and why Ash trees are having a really hard time at the moment.

Whilst many people think you need to see the leaves of a tree to identify them, it just isn’t the case, with the leaves off the trees in winter you get to see more of their form and use other identification features such as bark, buds and habit to get to know them.

Our walk around the grounds of this historic and beautiful estate will leave you with a new appreciation of trees as well as seeing some of the best examples of some species in this part of North Wales.

Sunday 1st March
10am - 3pm
Your ticket includes lunch and a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, unlimited hot drinks, and your tray of seedlings.

Get to grips with the basics of growing and garden design alongside an expert horticulturist

In the morning…
You will learn how to incorporate cut flowers and foliage into your growing space. Mark will talk about specific plant species that do best in spring, and we will review your current garden space — picking key areas to consider and improve following the session.

After lunch…
Mark will introduce you to different tools and seed trays. We will learn about pricking out, sowing seeds, germination, and what seeds are best to start with and when to plant them.

What you will take away:

• A tray of seedlings

• Sown seeds

• A plan for your growing space

• Plus newfound knowledge and confidence in garden planting, cut flowers and seed sowing.

This session is suitable for all abilities!

Saturday 14th March
10am - 3pm
You’ll eat what you cook as you progress through the day!

Over the course of this masterclass, you will learn how to make five delicious dishes alongside key, basic techniques to give you confidence in cooking over fire.

Throughout the day you will prepare and cook:

• Garlic & chilli tiger prawns with sourdough.

• Plank smoked Chalk Stream trout with asparagus and a charred red pepper salsa.

• Fire roasted half chicken, smoked potato salad, grilled lettuce.

• Bavette Steak, chimichurri, grilled padron peppers.

• Asian pork belly burnt ends with pickled asian slaw.

This masterclass is perfect for all foodies, cooks and barbecue lovers.

It will take place inside and outside, mostly within our warm and light-filled Conservatory space.

Unlimited tea and coffee included throughout, plus a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop.

Sunday 15th March
9:40am-4:00pm
Lunch, snacks and unlimited tea and coffee included.

Seasonal Qigong Retreat – Aligning with the Energy of Spring

Join us for a nourishing day of LifeForce Qigong in the tranquil surroundings of The Walled Garden School at Hawarden Estate, in a space dedicated to growth, connection, and holistic well-being. This event marks the first in a series of 5 Element retreat days, each attuned to the rhythms of nature, offering a powerful way to harmonise the body, mind, and spirit with the shifting seasons.

As spring awakens, we embrace the energy of the Wood Element, associated with growth, renewal, and the fortification of Liver energy. This is a time of expansion, creativity, and clearing away stagnation, both physically and emotionally. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and meditation, we will explore practices that help release frustration, ease tension, and cultivate a sense of flow and vitality.

Jing (Essence & Physical Vitality).
What to expect from the morning session:

• Gentle joint-opening exercises to awaken and energise the body.

• Foundation LifeForce Qigong movements to build strength and resilience.

• Microcosmic Orbit breathing to cultivate inner harmony.

• Patting and dredging techniques to clear and invigorate energy pathways.

Qi (Emotional Flow & Elemental Integration).
What to expect from the afternoon session:

• Deep energetic work with the 5 Element organs.

• Focus on Liver energy to support emotional balance and clarity.

• Seasonal meditations to align with spring’s expansive energy.

• Practices to integrate and regulate the Qi for lasting well-being.

A delicious light lunch from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop will be served, utilising fresh, seasonal ingredients to nourish the body and support our practice.

This day is open to all. No experience necessary, just a willingness to move, breathe, and be present.

What to bring:
Wear comfortable, layered clothing to accommodate temperature changes

What you will take away:
Reconnect with yourself, the season, and the energy of nature in this unique seasonal Qigong retreat day.

All equipment, food and and drink throughout the day is provided.

This workshop will be hosted within our beautiful Conservatory space.

Sunday 15th March
10am - 12:30pm
Your ticket includes your bouquet, a vase, a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop and unlimited hot drinks.

Learn how to create a stunning bouquet alongside an expert florist.

We’ll be stepping away from traditional spiralling and stepping out of the box when it comes to a hand-tied arrangement. As Mark puts it: “let's be rebels!”

What you will take away?

You will take away the bouquet you make during the class (along with a vase), and with the skills to pick flowers from your garden and to put them together confidently and beautifully in future.

About Welshborn Flowers

Mark learnt a lot of his floristry from the Manchester based event florist FROG, where he learnt and developed his own style. Mark now grows seasonal cut flowers and foliage on his family farm in Bwlchgwyn. Mark also sells wholesale as well as creating weddings for brides and grooms, too.

This session is suitable for all abilities!

Sunday 29th March
10am - 12:30pm
Your ticket includes your bouquet, a vase, a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop and unlimited hot drinks.

Learn how to create a stunning bouquet alongside an expert florist.

We’ll be stepping away from traditional spiralling and stepping out of the box when it comes to a hand-tied arrangement. As Mark puts it: “let's be rebels!”

What you will take away?

You will take away the bouquet you make during the class (along with a vase), and with the skills to pick flowers from your garden and to put them together confidently and beautifully in future.

This session is suitable for all abilities!

Saturday 11th April
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

Join local nature expert David Winnard on a guided foraging walk around Hawarden Estate.

This event is an ideal introduction to foraging, but will also be a great session for more experienced foragers, too. David will guide you into how to safely and sustainably forage for some of the commoner species of plants (and maybe some fungi) in the spring. We will be looking at a variety of species, learning about their habits, how to identify them as well as understanding which might be edible, medicinal or even poisonous.

At this time of year, the countryside comes alive with spring flowers and foliage. During the event you will get to grips with some common species like Nettle and Dandelion, but also a range of plants that you may never have used before. You will be able to try some plants (should you wish) - you can literally graze on some wonderful wild plants as we walk through the estate.

Take home some key facts and inspiration to take you forward into an abundant spring and summer.

Sunday 19th April
10am - 3pm
Your ticket includes lunch and a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, unlimited hot drinks, and your tray of seedlings.

Get to grips with the basics of growing and garden design alongside an expert horticulturist

In the morning…
You will learn how to incorporate cut flowers and foliage into your growing space. Mark will talk about specific plant species that do best in spring, and we will review your current garden space — picking key areas to consider and improve following the session.

After lunch…
Mark will introduce you to different tools and seed trays. We will learn about pricking out, sowing seeds, germination, and what seeds are best to start with and when to plant them.

What you will take away:

• A tray of seedlings

• Sown seeds

• A plan for your growing space

• Plus newfound knowledge and confidence in garden planting, cut flowers and seed sowing.

This session is suitable for all abilities!

Sunday 26th April
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

Join local nature expert David Winnard on a guided foraging walk around Hawarden Estate.

This event is an ideal introduction to foraging, but will also be a great session for more experienced foragers, too. David will guide you into how to safely and sustainably forage for some of the commoner species of plants (and maybe some fungi) in the spring. We will be looking at a variety of species, learning about their habits, how to identify them as well as understanding which might be edible, medicinal or even poisonous.

At this time of year, the countryside comes alive with spring flowers and foliage. During the event you will get to grips with some common species like Nettle and Dandelion, but also a range of plants that you may never have used before. You will be able to try some plants (should you wish) - you can literally graze on some wonderful wild plants as we walk through the estate.

Take home some key facts and inspiration to take you forward into an abundant spring and summer.

Saturday 16th May
8am - 10am
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

The grounds are the home of some wonderful bird species such as both the Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Treecreeper as well as Sparrowhawks, Tawny Owls and Buzzard.

During this morning walk across Hawarden Estate we’ll be looking at how to identify a variety of species that occur on this great estate. We’ll do this both visually as well as learning some of the bird songs and calls we encounter on our walk. This will be a relaxed walk and birdwatch through garden, open countryside and some woodland as we look to encounter a wide array of species.

If you have ever wanted to learn how to identify the commoner species of bird but did not know where to start, or you’re interested in which bird species are on the estate, then this is the event for you!

Sunday 31st May
9:40am-4:00pm
Lunch, snacks and unlimited tea and coffee included.

LifeForce Qigong Summer Retreat Day - Embracing the Fire Element Spirit

Join us for a nourishing day of mindful movement in the serene surroundings of The Walled Garden, North Wales, part of Hawarden Estate. This retreat is part of a 5-Element seasonal series, helping us attune to the natural rhythms of life and align with the changing energy of the seasons.

This summer, we embrace the Fire Element, strengthening Heart energy and releasing arrogance and jealousy, allowing us to cultivate love, joy, and deeper emotional harmony. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to Qigong (pronounced Chee Gong), this day offers valuable tools for balance, vitality, and self-discovery.

Jing (Essence & Physical Vitality).
What to expect from the morning session:

• Gentle joint-opening & spine-loosening exercises. Feel your physical heart.

• Foundational LifeForce Qigong alignment and movements to strengthen and energise.

• Embryonic breathing for internal peace, balance and energy cultivation.

• Patting and dredging techniques to invigorate energy pathways.

Qi (Emotional Flow & Elemental Integration).
What to expect from the afternoon session:

• Fire Element Spirit practice to nurture Heart energy

• 5 Element organ activation - awaken and align all 5 elements

• Guided meditations for emotional healing and integration

• Outdoor practice (weather permitting) to connect with nature

A delicious light lunch from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop will be served, utilising fresh, seasonal ingredients to nourish the body and support our practice.

This day is open to all. No experience necessary, just a willingness to move, breathe, and be present.

What to bring:
Wear comfortable, layered clothing to accommodate temperature changes

What you will take away:
Reconnect with yourself, the season, and the energy of nature in this unique seasonal Qigong retreat day.

All equipment, food and and drink throughout the day is provided.

This workshop will be hosted within our beautiful Conservatory space.

Saturday 27th June
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

This is the kind of walk where you set off not knowing what you may discover and come back with an experience of seeing nature in all its glory, at a beautiful time of year, in a stunning setting.

Join us for a pleasant stroll through the grounds of the historic Hawarden Estate to encounter a variety of interesting wild species that call Hawarden home. From birds and insects to plants and mammals, we will seek out some of the wonderful wildlife of the summer months.

On this walk we will see how different species fit into the landscape and the overall ecosystem, from understanding how a single flower species can be host to a variety of insects and fungi, to looking for evidence of what birds have been breeding.

Whilst this walk does not focus on one particular group of wildlife, it allows us to follow nature’s lead; if we find an interesting butterfly we will look at that, if we see some signs of mammals, we will work out what they were, if we discover a new wildflower for the estate then we will appreciate that. We let nature dictate what we discover (with a little help and instruction from your friendly nature guide, David).

Sunday 5th July
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

The wildflowers of Hawarden Estate.

In amongst the stunning setting of the Hawarden estate, around the Old Castle, the old woods and the meadows are some wonderful wildflowers that call this area home. From the beautiful to the sublime we will explore the grounds to discover some of the best wildflowers that Hawarden has to offer.

From natives to aliens we will learn how to identify some of the commoner species as well as learn about their history, folklore and place in the eco-system. We will even take in a few of the interesting 'weeds' from the formal planting (but don't tell the gardener, he won't appreciate us looking at the more interesting 'weeds'!).

This event will be a gentle stroll around some of the more hidden parts of the estate with the aim to totally immerse ourselves in the pleasure of the summer wildflowers.

Sunday 2nd August
9:40am-4:00pm
Lunch, snacks and unlimited tea and coffee included.

LifeForce Qigong late Summer Retreat Day - Embracing the Earth Element Spirit

Join us for a nourishing day of mindful movement in the serene surroundings of The Walled Garden, North Wales, part of Hawarden Estate. This retreat is part of a 5-Element seasonal series, helping us attune to the natural rhythms of life and align with the changing energy of the seasons.

This summer, we embrace the Fire Element, strengthening Heart energy and releasing arrogance and jealousy, allowing us to cultivate love, joy, and deeper emotional harmony. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to Qigong (pronounced Chee Gong), this day offers valuable tools for balance, vitality, and self-discovery.

Jing (Essence & Physical Vitality).
What to expect from the morning session:

• Gentle joint-opening & spine-loosening exercises. Feel your physical heart.

• Foundational LifeForce Qigong alignment and movements to strengthen and energise.

• Embryonic breathing for internal peace, balance and energy cultivation.

• Patting and dredging techniques to invigorate energy pathways.

Qi (Emotional Flow & Elemental Integration).
What to expect from the afternoon session:

• Fire Element Spirit practice to nurture Heart energy

• 5 Element organ activation - awaken and align all 5 elements

• Guided meditations for emotional healing and integration

• Outdoor practice (weather permitting) to connect with nature

A delicious light lunch from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop will be served, utilising fresh, seasonal ingredients to nourish the body and support our practice.

This day is open to all. No experience necessary, just a willingness to move, breathe, and be present.

What to bring:
Wear comfortable, layered clothing to accommodate temperature changes

What you will take away:
Reconnect with yourself, the season, and the energy of nature in this unique seasonal Qigong retreat day.

All equipment, food and and drink throughout the day is provided.

This workshop will be hosted within our beautiful Conservatory space.

Saturday 22nd August
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

The flowers, fruits and fungi of Hawarden Estate.

This is the perfect time of the year to get to grips with the edible, medicinal and poisonous plants found on the estate.

If you are new to foraging, or know a little bit, then this walk will be perfect for you as we discuss the dos and don’ts of foraging (including what the law is) as well as delving into identifying some of the commoner plants and maybe some fungi that are present in the hedgerows and woods.

Expect to be finding fruits like blackberries and apples and nuts like hazelnuts and sweet chestnut, among the huge variety of other plants that have so much folklore behind them (like Mugwort - a favourite of your nature guide, David).

Not only will we learn how to identify these species but also discuss ways of how to preserve them, whether that is drying them or doing something more involved like turning our finds in to liqueurs.

We will forage in some of the wilder parts of the estate as well as look around some of the more formal bits of garden - not for the cultivated plants, but for some of the more interesting ‘weeds’ which often have many uses (just don’t tell the gardeners we are looking at their ‘weeds’!).

You will leave feeling confident to find and pick your own foraged plants from the wild.

Sunday 6th September
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

The flowers, fruits and fungi of Hawarden Estate.

This is the perfect time of the year to get to grips with the edible, medicinal and poisonous plants found on the estate.

If you are new to foraging, or know a little bit, then this walk will be perfect for you as we discuss the dos and don’ts of foraging (including what the law is) as well as delving into identifying some of the commoner plants and maybe some fungi that are present in the hedgerows and woods.

Expect to be finding fruits like blackberries and apples and nuts like hazelnuts and sweet chestnut, among the huge variety of other plants that have so much folklore behind them (like Mugwort - a favourite of your nature guide, David).

Not only will we learn how to identify these species but also discuss ways of how to preserve them, whether that is drying them or doing something more involved like turning our finds in to liqueurs.

We will forage in some of the wilder parts of the estate as well as look around some of the more formal bits of garden - not for the cultivated plants, but for some of the more interesting ‘weeds’ which often have many uses (just don’t tell the gardeners we are looking at their ‘weeds’!).

You will leave feeling confident to find and pick your own foraged plants from the wild.

Saturday 19th September
10am - 12pm
Your ticket includes a snack from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, plus tea or filter coffee on arrival.

A fungal foray with a true expert.

Join renowned naturalist and foraging expert David Winnard for a leisurely stroll through the grounds of Hawarden Estate to explore the world of mushrooms and other fungi. During this walk you will learn:

• How mushrooms and fungi work.

• Why they are important.

• How they fit into the ecosystem.

• How we go about identifying different species.

We will look for a variety of species in different habitats and, where appropriate, discuss edible, poisonous and medicinal species.

“From Hairy Curtain Crust to Turkeytail, Shaggy Parasol to Oakbug Milkcap, the world of mushrooms and other fungi await us to discover them in a beautiful setting.”