As the days shorten in Morrab Gardens, everything starts to draw in. Birds tuck into hedges and hollows, the last leaves settle into the beds, and the garden takes a long, slow breath before spring.
We think winter is a season for doing the same. This year our programme follows the turn of the year: making nests in November, finding comfort and company in December, and gathering to share stories in January.
Nesting November
November is all about getting cosy, and our youngest visitors are first in line. At Nesting in the Grove (Friday 6 November, 10–10.45am, £3), little ones aged five and under will help build a huge nest in the Grove, then settle in for a nature story from our volunteer Rich. One ticket covers one adult and one child.
A week later, we’re inviting families to snuggle down in the Lab with a hot chocolate and an immersive audio story about the hidden natural world. Afternoon Cosy + After School Cosy (Friday 13 November) runs twice, at 2–3pm and 3.45–4.45pm, for parents and children over eight. It’s free, but please book your tickets in advance.
For something hands-on, Grace Stephenson’s Foraged Ink workshop (Friday 20 November, 1.30–3.15pm, £15–£20) shows you how to turn locally foraged alder cones into rich botanical ink, a craft that goes back as far as the fifth century. These sessions always sell out, and only a few places are available, so book soon.
We’ll finish November with our Winter Wool Workshop (Saturday 28 November, 10.30am–12.30pm, £1–£3), a relaxed morning of pom-pom garlands, weaving, crochet and woolly winter decorations.
Winter Solace
December can be a whirlwind of festive organisation and budgeting, so this month we’re offering a little solace alongside the celebrations.
The big day is our Winter Fayre (Saturday 12 December, 10am–6pm). It’s one of the most popular dates in our calendar: a day of festive community celebration with craft workshops where you can make your own gifts and decorations, a makers’ market full of local stalls, and wonderful food and music. Our shop will be stocked with presents for all ages too. More details are coming soon, so pop the date in your diary.
If the festive rush gets too much, join us for Quiet Winter Crafting (and Stew) (Wednesday 16 December, 5–6.30pm, £3). It’s a calm evening of communal crafting, from pom-pom garlands to weaving and crochet, followed by a bowl of hearty winter stew. Think of it as carving out a bit of quiet space just for you.
And for a gift with a story, bring something to our Repair Workshop (Saturday 19 December, 10.30am–12.30pm, £1–£5). Our clothes hold stories, from a stubborn stain to a ladder in a favourite jumper. With stations for darning, patching and creative visible mending, you can repair or rework something to give this Christmas. All materials are provided, and there’s tea and coffee on the go.
Folklore and Stories
The long nights of January have always been made for storytelling, and we’re starting the new year in the best company.
Cornish and Welsh folklorist Siân Powell, host of the Celtic Myths and Legends podcast, joins us for Cornish Myths and Legends (Wednesday 13 January, 5.30–6.45pm, £5). Expect magical tales, maritime superstitions and ancient legends shaped by Cornwall’s rugged coast, Celtic heritage and tin-mining history. It’s a celebration of the stories that shape our part of the world.
Before that, our still life sessions return with a winter twist. Come and draw, paint and play with an installation of lovely things from Morrab Gardens and beyond at Winter Still Life (Friday 8 January, 10am–2pm). Then bring the whole family to Can’t Draw Club: Winter Still Life (Saturday 9 January, 10am–1pm), made especially for anyone who thinks they’re ‘not arty’. Both are free drop-ins, so there’s no need to book.
Working with our community
We also to open our doors to local groups doing brilliant work across Penzance. This winter, two partners are bringing events to the Gardeners’ House.
Sustainable Penzance is running two workshops with us. At Poems for Penzance (Friday 20 November, 10am–12pm), you’re invited to write, draw and make about the town as it is now and what you hope for its future. Then at Map Making: Greenways (Saturday 23 January, 10am–12pm), you can discover the paths and green spaces that link in, around and out of town, and make your own personalised walking map. Work from both sessions will join our Living Archive. Booking is through Sustainable Penzance.
We’re also supporting 16 Days of Activism Penzance, a grassroots campaign bringing our community together to help end violence against women and girls. It’s part of the global 16 Days of Activism campaign, which runs from 25 November to 10 December. The Gardeners’ House is hosting three of the group’s events:
- PZ Collage Club, a special cut ‘n’ stick session with Tegan Howard (Thursday 26 November, 5–8pm)
- Tales of the Unexpected, female-focused stories and poems from Mary Ann Bloomfield and members of The Knut Writing Group (Saturday 5 December, 12.15–1.45pm)
- Women’s Song Circle with Kelsey Michael of community folk choir Folktree (Wednesday 9 December, 10.30am–12pm)
All three are booked through the 16 Days Penzance website.
Regulars
Our Tool Sharpening Workshop with Friends of Morrab Gardens continues through the winter. Volunteer Thomas will show you how to keep a sharp edge on your pruning tools ready for spring. Bring your own secateurs and gloves. Places are limited to five, and November’s session has already sold out, so book early for Thursday 17 December or Thursday 21 January (1.30–3pm, £1–£5). Funds raised support Friends of Morrab’s care of the Gardens and our bulb and seed fund.
Join us this winter
You can find full details and book all our events on our events page. To be the first to hear about new dates, sign up to our newsletter. We can’t wait to welcome you in from the cold.