The Workshop at The Garden House
The weekly workshop session for both men and women to make, repair or up-cycle things and to have a cup of tea and chat.
More info

Green Woodwork Group – NEW for 2026 – Spaces available!

We are starting green woodwork sessions on Wednesday afternoons at The Garden House in the hay barn. Green woodwork just means working with unseasoned wood and if this is a new interest for you, don’t worry, as our estate manager, Andy Holdaway, will start the project and provide support and some basic skills and understanding. The aim is eventually for this to be a self-run group, with people learning and looking out for each other and guiding their own activity. We have bodging lathes, shaving horses and benches available to use. Typical projects might range from simple spoons and light pulls, through to stools or chairs and anything in between. If anyone in the area has a wood, trees or contact(s) for sourcing wood to be used by the project that would be very helpful and we will also be looking to source suitable tools. For an informal chat, please contact Andy Holdaway.

Previous Events

Orchard Tree Pruning – Thursday 5th February 2026
Most years we have run a pruning workshop for both those new to pruning or old hands.  We have gone from formative pruning in the early stages of planting to maintenance pruning and adjustments in more recent years.  We also give participants the opportunity to discuss any pruning and fruit tree topics which they might like to raise during the session, which can be useful if you have questions and for sharing experience.

Willow Cutting – Thursday 19th February 2026
We annually pollard our willow and invite you to take part.  Cutting back the willow keeps a fresh supply of colourful young flexible willow coming for crafts and growing projects.  Volunteers are welcome to take some willow home with them.  If you would like a winter display of colour for a large vase, some material to start a living willow sculpture, dome or fedge* or you would like to plant some willow trees in your garden or on your land, this could be for you!

* a fedge is a living willow fence or is it a hedge?!

Previously green woodwork sessions have been run at The Garden House by the Surrey Group of The Association of Pole Lathe Turners and Green Woodworkers (also known as The Bodgers!). For more info, please contact Steve Scott

The Welly Walk at The Garden House – July 2019 and 2021
This was an event run by The Godalming and Cranleigh District NCT Group (National Childbirth Trust) for its members. To give you a flavour of the day, this was a piece from their publicity:

“We will be getting musical on our Welly Walk this month! The Garden House has the perfect pretend bonfire area to sing ‘10 sizzling sausages’ around and maybe have a little snack before we continue our adventure
towards their beautiful duck pond and sing ‘5 little ducks’. The Garden House is a lovely location that feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of Godalming and Cranleigh so the grown ups can appreciate the tranquillity while the children see what birds they can spot on the pond.”