About this Event
Join us for three talks about horticulture moderated by our Head Gardener Mark Dumbelton as part of our event series, ‘How Gardens Shape Us,’ at .
Taking place in the Radić Pavilion, the talks will last 30 minutes each, followed by an informal Q&A.
- 11 – 11.30 am: ‘The History of Plants’ with Mark Dumbelton
- 11.45 am – 12.15 pm: ‘Growing in Adversity’ with Amy Shelton
- 12.30 – 1 pm: ‘How Mud Teaches’ with Melanie Mortimer and Dr Ruth Burtonshaw
Tickets are free, but we welcome donations to 2026 – 2027 charity partner, Forest of Selwood. Advance booking is essential. This event is open to all, but children must be accompanied by an adult.
Please note that the gallery and garden will remain open to visitors during this event.
Farm Shop will be serving coffees, pastries and sandwiches from 9 am. Da Costa will be taking lunch reservations from 12 pm.
About Mark Dumbleton
Mark Dumbleton has been the Head Gardener at Hauser & Wirth Somerset since 2014, working closely with internationally renowned landscape designer Piet Oudolf. He maintains Oudolf Field, the gallery’s 1.5-acre meadow which contains over 30,000 herbaceous perennials. He is passionate about sustainability and soil ecosystems.
About Amy Shelton
Amy Shelton is an artist whose practice explores the relationships between people, plants and the natural world. Her work brings together art, ecology and environmental research, with a particular focus on biodiversity, pollination and the stories held within landscapes. She is the founder of the internationally recognized Honeyscribe—a project which explores the relationship between bees, plants and human creativity. She has exhibited and collaborated widely across the fields of art, science and conservation.
About Melanie Mortimer
Melanie Mortimer studied English Literature, Architecture and Design Education, and has taught Design and Technology in schools for 20 years. Her PhD at RMIT, ‘Mud Teaches,’ examined how gardening and making practices look at how noticing is a key idea in her pedagogy, which focuses on mud’s capacities as a vital, generative and pedagogically significant material.
About Dr Ruth Burtonshaw
Dr Ruth Burtonshaw has a scientific background with a PhD in plant responses to insect grazing. She is a teacher with interests in early years education, developing children’s learning skills and supporting pupils with dyslexia.
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Image: Radić Pavilion in Oudolf Field, Hauser & Wirth Somerset. Photo: Jason Ingram
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Event venue & nearby stays
Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Frome, United Kingdom
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