The Gardens The Walled Garden Workshop is based in the beautiful Dorset countryside at Littlebredy, a village of traditional thatched cottages in a secluded, tranquil valley a few miles from the County Town of Dorchester. The Workshop offers volunteers of any age an opportunity to participate in gardening and horticultural activities 'hands-on' but at their own pace. You may be a person working in an indoor job who is seeking a change of career or lifestyle, perhaps in order to help decide your direction in future, or you may be a younger person thinking of choosing a career in gardening or horticulture and are first looking for practical experience. The Workshop is busy restoring the appearance and function of the historic Walled Garden and environs, with its clear-running stream providing water to the ornamental flower beds, shrubs and roses, vegetable areas, damson orchards and soon a vineyard, all set in the rural Conservation Area in the little Bride Valley with its warm sheltered micro-climate. The activities are quite varied, from growing vegetables and re-planting and pruning the formal areas, to weed and scrub overgrowth clearance, creating new shrubberies and restoring the appearance of brick and stone walls and paths. The ornamental gardens are open to the public and to schools visits from time to time, which provides an opportunity to explain to interested people what is happening, and also participate in the site management. Volunteering If you wish to enquire about volunteering or about a work experience placement and possible local accommodation, please contact the Secretary who will be be able to give you more information and talk about the type of gardening and horticultural activities which interest you. Sponsorship The Workshop actively seeks sponsorship, funding and other support for its work. To help sponsor suitable volunteers, it looks for liaison and grants from charities, educational institutions, councils, government retraining schemes and, where appropriate, individuals. If you wish to help with a contribution, please contact the Secretary who will be pleased to arrange to show you round and see if there is some special area of interest where you may wish to assist.