February Feels: Light Ahead
January 29th, 2025“That’s what winter is: an exercise in remembering how to still yourself then how to come pliantly back to life again.”
— Ali Smith, Winter
The garden is rousing, bringing tender shoots, tiny salad leaves and bumblebee queens scoping the landscape on sunny days. With rising energy comes a wealth of workshops encouraging you to get out into the great outdoors. A fresh set of Newtlings sessions offer new adventures over February half-term, and we’re feeling the love for Valentine’s Day. Light and renewed warmth are near; our passions are fired up.
In need of some heart-lifting plans for the month ahead? Visit in February for Hort Courses covering fruit tree pruning and tree identifying; holistic movement sessions in the yoga studio; and dawn walks to spot snowdrops lighting the way to a new season.
What’s on in February
Dawn Walk: Song of the Snowdrops
6, 27 February, 7.30am/6.50am – 10am / £45
Join Arthur Cole on a mesmerising morning wander through swathes of snowdrops and early bulbs from a bee’s eye view.
Ferment & Feel Good
6, 13 February, 9am – 1pm / £260
Learn the secrets to good gut health with Garden Café chef, Beth, before spoiling spa time plus a treatment on this new for 2025 half-day experience.
Yin Yoga & Breathwork
7, 21 February, 9.30am – 10.30am / £30
Start the day with a meditative yin yoga and breathwork session for all levels. You’ll connect mind, body and breath for a holistic approach to health and happiness.
Botany Watercolours (Winter)
8 February, 9.30am – 3pm / £150
Walk the gardens for winter inspiration to paint under the guidance of established wildlife artist, Camilla Clutterbuck, before capping off the day with lunch at the Garden Café.
Hort Short: Winter Tree Identification
11 February, 9.30am – 11.30am / £50
Learn how to observe bark, buds, branches and habitats during the colder months, alongside the intrinsic relationship between trees and wildlife.
Hort Course: Fruit Tree Pruning
12, 26 February, 9.30am – 3pm / £150
Discover the principles of fruit tree pruning in this invaluable session showing you how to prune different forms and species under the expert tutelage of Specialist Fruit Grower, Andy Lewis.
Yoga: Mindful Movement
14 February, 9.30am – 10.30am / £30
Morning mindful movement sessions take cues from yoga, Pilates and somatic practices to stretch, strengthen and start the day with a spring in your step.
Valentine’s Dinner at the Garden Café
14 February, 6 – 8pm / £75pp
Join us for a rare candlelit dinner at the Garden Café and treat your love to a sharing menu featuring Portland oysters, steak with cyder Bearnaise and rhubarb with baked custard.
Children’s Printmaking
15, 18 February, 45-minute slots from 10am – 3pm / £15
Taking inspiration from pond life, you’ll get hands on with stencils and rollers to make spectacularly colourful cards or artworks to take home.
Newtlings
Workshops
18, 19 February 9am – 12pm & 1 – 4pm / £25 per session
From fire-making to wild-foraging, outdoor games and making mini structures, these four hands-on sessions over half-term encourage teamwork, problem solving and creativity.
Sending Love
From heartwarming hampers to chocolates, sparkling wines and small batch gin, we’ve got an array of gorgeous gifts to send from Somerset with love this February.
