Horticultural Learning Zone

At Fedw Hir Eco Centre there is a fully functioning horticultural facility with 2 large poly tunnels, planting beds, planting out areas and display areas, we even have own little flock of chickens which roam the gardens as well as the apiary and orchard. The site has classroom facilities which allows us to give

Originally the site was set up as a Tree Nursery in the late 90,s to grow tree seedlings on for the Parc Taff Bargoed Millennium Project and Trees of Time and Place project. Our work helped establish the new woodlands throughout the 52ha Park with the seeds being locally picked and planted by school children from the area.

Today the Fedw Hir site has enlarged and diversified with the capacity to now grow and sell bedding plants and vegetables to the general public direct from site or through our farmers market stall in Merthyr Tydfil. By linking the horticultural produce with our timber products, manufactured at the centres Joinery shop, planters, garden furniture habitat boxes and bird feeders are all available from the Eco-centre. For more info on these and other items please see our “Made at Fedw Hir” page

The centre provides placements for a number of volunteers and work placements to learn new skills linked to as broad a spectrum of horticultural activities as possible whether in an on-the job setting or formal lectures in one of our classrooms. Our staff also takes these experiences out on the road most often to schools but also to community centres and gardening clubs.

What Type of Horticultural Training Does Fedw Hir Offer?

· Garden design

· Getting the most from your garden

· Vegetable growing

· Summer bedding plants

· Hanging baskets and planters

· Orchard Management

· Bee keeping

· Lectures – the year round garden

· Gardening for Wildlife

New for 2012! Fedw Hir Eco-Centre Wildlife Garden – the construction of our new eco classroom at the centre has provided the trust with an opportunity to create a new display garden around the building. The garden when completed later this year will reflect the new classrooms sustainable build approach with regards to the construction and its materials. The new garden will display best practise to promote wildlife friendly gardening, with a variety of habitats and plants to support particular species, between the building and the garden we feel that we will have something unique to offer visiting schools and groups hoping to learn more about the environment and how our activities can be beneficial to all living things.

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