Brighton Permaculture Trust

A SURPRISING FIND!

Early June brought a welcome shift after a tough spring of cold winds, dry spells, heavy rain, and finally some sunshine. We visited the newly planted orchard at Plymouth Avenue on a last-minute trip… and were very glad we did!

While checking on two healthy groups of young orchard trees, the Sussex Wildlife Trust team called out an incredible and rare find: Bee Orchids!

Brighton Permaculture Trust has been working with communities for over 20 years across Sussex to create orchards that last for generations - providing free fruit and nuts while building rich habitat for wildlife. We use carefully chosen rootstocks and long-term management to help these spaces thrive. At Plymouth Avenue specifically, local steward James keeps a close eye on day-to-day care, supported by expert orchard guidance from our team.

That combination of community care and specialist support is key to long-term success.

Managing the grassland around young trees is just as important as planting them. As mowing is reduced over time, a ‘Traditional Orchard’ habitat develops, supporting far more biodiversity and helping wildflowers and insects return.

This work is only possible thanks to strong partnerships with Brighton & Hove City Council City Parks teams, alongside Sussex Wildlife Trust, whose volunteers and Youth Rangers are helping track how biodiversity changes as these orchards mature.

Finding Bee Orchids this early feels like a brilliant sign of what’s to come. We can’t wait to see what else appears as these orchards grow.

If you’d like to get involved in caring for a local orchard, get in touch!

📸 Jack Thompson, Sussex Wildlife Trust

SAVE THE DATE!
Come and celebrate the harvest season once again with Brighton Permaculture Trust!

📅 Sunday 20th September 2026
🕐 12pm – 5pm
📍 Home Farm Orchard, Stanmer Park, Brighton

Our annual Apple Harvest Day is a way for us to promote the work we do within the Sussex community, whilst celebrating the changing seasons and natural cycles – all whilst learning about permaculture, reducing food waste and enjoying some music and scrumped cider. It’s a free, family and doggy friendly event and we’d love to see you there!

If you have any questions, see our website or message us for more details!

We had a wonderful winged visitor to the Permaculture Plot last week – but can anyone identify this gorgeous little creature?

If you’ve been feeling that our current way of living isn’t sustainable but are unsure where to start, this course is perfect for you.

Introduction to Permaculture – Weekend Course
📅 3-4 October 2026
🕐 9:30am - 5:00pm
📍 Brighton, UK

Permaculture is about working with nature, not against it; designing systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and self-sustaining. This weekend course introduces the basics of permaculture design. It aims to inspire and empower you to use permaculture design in your everyday life.

Join the Brighton Permaculture team as they guide you through the basics of permaculture design, covering ethics, principles, and real-world applications. Spend time outdoors at one of our local food-growing projects, collaborating with others to design sustainable solutions.

You can sign up online for the course here, or message us for more info: https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/course/introduction-to-permaculture/

We had an inspiring weekend introducing students to the world of permaculture at June's 'Introduction to permaculture' course.

The course covered the basics of permaculture, exploring history and definitions, design processes, ethics and principles, design tools, and case studies from diverse applications.

Participants collaborated on a two-day design project, gaining hands-on experience in applying permaculture concepts to real-life scenarios.

Our mix of teaching methods, including group work, games, presentations, and discussions, helped bring the material to life. By the end of the course, everyone was ready to apply their understanding of permaculture ethics and principles to everyday life.

This course is ideal for anyone concerned about the state of the world and looking to create solutions. No prior knowledge is needed, and participants leave feeling inspired to take the next step toward sustainable living.

LAST FEW SPACES:
OCTOBER 3-4

Find out more and register, or message us for more details: https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/course/introduction-to-permaculture/

A WEEKEND OF NEW COURSES

We have, not 1 but 2 new courses coming up in a couple of weeks.

Solar hot water for the home: Learn the basics of installing solar panels to heat hot water at home.
📆 Saturday 27 June 2026

Rainwater harvesting at home: Cut your water bills and reduce reliance on mains supply.
📆 Sunday 28 June 2026

Visit our website to find out more: https://brightonpermaculture.org.uk/courses/ or DM us with any questions.

Our friends at Stanmer Organics are hosting an Open Day next month... get it in your diary! 💚

Come and join us for our 29th Summer Open Day
Our unique and diverse land based projects will be opening their gates for you to explore and enjoy all that is on offer. Meet the team, join a workshop, tour, enjoy a demonstration of skills. It is a free event but bring cash to buy refreshments, organic goods and/or art.
No 78 bus will bring you to Stanmer Village, follow the signs from here.
Dress code- farm (all terrain shoes and clothing)
Dogs on leads are welcome.
Accessible parking is available contact [email protected]