I've been doing Zoom seminar/workshops for the WFGA (Working For Gardeners Association) again, all through the year, and they are proving to be very popular, as it is much easier for people to find a free morning, than it is for them to physically travel to Oxfordshire for the full-day course.
In addition, I am now offering individual Zoom workshops on two aspects of being self-employed: How To Start your business, and the Grow and Develop one.
If you have any questions, do please feel free to email me on Inquiries@rachel-the-gardener.co.uk.
On-line Zoom seminar: Sat 24th January 2026 - just a few places left!
Once again, I will be leading a 3-hour Zoom seminar/workshop for self-employed Gardeners, snappily titled Self-Employed Gardeners: How to Grow and Develop your Business
Once you've been a self-employed Gardener for a couple of years or more, it's easy to get swept up in the seasons, and to lose sight of your initial goals.
This seminar aims to help you take a fresh look at your business, to deal with any problems or issues that might have arisen, and to encourage you to look beyond your current situation.
Rachel the Gardener is a Professional Gardener, Plantsmith, Field Botanist, Consultant Forensic Horticulturalist, gardening Journalist, and Author, having published over two dozen Botany and Gardening books, including How To Be A Successful Self-Employed Gardener which was written specifically for people just setting out as Gardeners.
With a style that has been variously described as “chatty and informal” and “appropriately bossy”, Rachel will take you through the commonest problems and pitfalls: wasting time; un-necessary paperwork; increasing your income; targets and how to use them; dissatisfaction with your Clients and how to deal with them. In the second session, Rachel covers specialising; how to increase and stabilise your hourly rate, and why you should do so; how to deal with late payers and low payers; when and how to 'sack' unsatisfactory Clients, and how to replace them with better ones; then some pointers on Expanding and Looking Forwards; with questions being asked all along the way.
All delegates can submit questions by email beforehand: and all delegates will receive a pdf version of the two presentations, afterwards
The talk will start at 9:30 via Zoom and with breaks will last approximately 3 hours.
To book a place, go to the WFGA website.
Wiltshire – Introduction to Tree Identification in Winter Workshop
Friday 24th February 2026 at Hill House, Upper Minety, Wiltshire.
We will be working from the FSC’s AIDGAP Winter Trees guide, available from the FSC at a cost of £8.50. Limited copies will be available to use on the day, delegates are advised to buy their own copy in advance if possible. https://www.field-studies-council.org/shop/publications/trees-in-winter-aidgap/.
This is a practical, hands-on Workshop which is suitable for complete beginners.
To book a place, go the WFGA website.
Wiltshire – Introduction to Tree Identification in Summer Workshop
Also to be held at Hill House, Upper Minety: date to be confirmed.
Later this year, I will be repeating my one-day seminar/workshop on How to be a Self-Employed Gardener for the WFGA (Working For Gardeners Association), in Grove, Oxfordshire.
We will be based once again at Grove Village Hall, Main Street, Oxfordshire - arrive for registration at about 09.30, for a prompt 10am start: but I'll be talking from the moment you arrive! Bring along a packed lunch, refreshments will be provided, and we aim to finish by 4pm.
This is your chance to ask me any questions you like about starting up in business: having done it myself, and having quite literally written the book on this subject - How To Be A Self-Employed Gardener, to be precise - I am always happy to talk about it, and to answer questions, to encourage more people to take this step and become self-employed as Gardeners. Even if you are already self-employed, this workshop will help and encourage you to take it to the next level, to be better: and to charge a realistic rate for it!
You are welcome to email me beforehand, if you have a specific question or topic which you would like to be sure is covered on the seminar.
To book a place, keep an eye on the WFGA website, or email them to ask for availability.
