Mindful gardening retreat at The Sharpham Trust

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Mindfulness retreat: Mindful Gardening - 4 nights in The Coach House

Name: Mindfulness retreat: Mindful Gardening - 4 nights in The Coach House
Start: 2027-09-01
Location: The Coach House retreat centre at Sharpham

Slow down & get your hands in the earth

Summary

The Coach House retreat centre at Sharpham

Duration: 4 nights - run annually

For those with any meditation and gardening experience - or none

Single occupancy

Silence nightly until morning & on 1 whole day

Max. Spaces: 18

Overview

The Mindful Gardening mindfulness retreat is a 4-night stay at The Coach House retreat venue in beautiful South Devon, offering sessions with our skilled sustainable food, ornamental & flower-growing gardeners in our abundant 18th century walled garden, daily meditation, nature-mindfulness practices and time spent in Sharpham's peaceful scenery.

Join us for a soul-nourishing retreat in the heart of nature. Set in our beautiful Grade II-listed Walled Garden on the Sharpham Estate, this four-night experience offers you the chance to ground yourself in the rhythms of the land and cultivate mindfulness through the simple, profound act of gardening.

Whether you’re a seasoned grower or a curious beginner, this retreat invites you to explore the healing relationship between hands, heart, and soil. Discover how working with the earth can open the door to deeper presence, peace, and connection - with nature, with food, and with yourself.

Let the garden hold you. Let nature guide you.

The glory of gardening: hands in the soil, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul

- Alfred Austin

You might also like our 6-night gardening retreat at The Barn, Buddist meditation retreat venue here

The 18th century Walled Garden behind Sharpham House mindfulness retreat centre

Our Co-Head Gardener Emily introduces this retreat

Let our gardeners explain what you'll experience when you get your hands in the earth (mindfully) on our Mindful Gardening retreats.

These take place on the stunning and historic Sharpham Estate, with lots of time spent in the 18th century Walled Garden behind Sharpham House.

You'll be alongside skilled, experienced and mindful gardeners, weaving knowledge and meditative practices to create a retreat to restore & enrich your soul...

This retreat is for you if:

feel the call to slow down and reconnect with the earth
you are able physically to engage in 2.5 to 3 hours of gardening daily (lighter tasks are available)
are open to experiencing mindfulness through your senses and through contact with plants
and soil
are aged 18 and above

What is Mindfulness?

What you'll experience on this retreat:

hands-on gardening in our 18th century Walled Garden, guided by our knowledgeable garden
team
the harvesting of seasonal produce and the enjoyment of garden-to-table meals - deepening your relationship with the land, the seasons and yourself
guided meditations, relaxation sessions and periods of silence and quiet contemplation
mindful movement sessions to help embody awareness
a chance to learn about & witness our efforts to re-wild the Sharpham Estate
full-board accommodation in a Grade II-listed Georgian Coach House set within Capability Brownian parkland, with Grade II*-listed gardens designed by Percy Cane in a designated N ational Landscape amid breath-taking scenery on the banks of the River Dart
a single-occupancy room and your own space in which to rejuvenate, with free time to deeply rest and reconnect with yourself, far from the busy-ness of daily life
shared tasks and group sharings that nurture a sense of community
delicious, healthy, home-cooked vegetarian food that regularly receives rave reviews, plus 24-hour access to teas, herbal infusions, and comforting refreshments

What is a mindfulness meditation retreat?

Mindful gardening in the Walled Garden on retreat at The Sharpham Trust

A Red Admiral butterfly on Buddleia in The Barn's gardens at The Sharpham Trust

Rewilding:

This retreat includes the opportunity to learn more about our Rewilding efforts with a morning session led by an Ambios Team member who look after our rewilding project and deliver conservation training on the estate.

Find Out More

What you'll need to know:

If you decide to stay with us, we’ll send you a list of what you need to bring for this retreat in your Welcome Letter that we send out after you've booked.

You can also find out more about staying with us on our Frequently Asked Questions page, including:

accessibility information
why we encourage you to come on your own and not with partners or friends
what the difference is between our retreats

View our FAQs

Schedule

If you're coming to stay with us on retreat, it is important to make a commitment to arrive in time for the first group meeting and to attend all the days.

This ensures you experience the retreat programme from start to finish and helps your group of participants to gel.

Silence

All our retreats include periods of silence as a way of deepening into mindful awareness.

If you are new to spending time in silence in the company of other people, it can feel awkward to begin with. But we encourage you to explore the silent periods with a spirit of openness and curiosity - people usually find it to be a positive experience.

The retreats typically move into silence each evening from 9pm - 9/9.30am the following day

Typical Schedule

Day 1: Arrive between 3 - 5pm for welcome meeting and settling in

Mornings	Afternoons
6.45am - wake up	1.00pm - meditation
7.00am – morning movement/meditation	1.30pm - lunch
8.00am - household tasks	3.00pm – free time or group walk
8.30am – breakfast	6.00pm – supper
9.30am – Home Group (silence ends)	8.00pm - meditation and deep rest
10.30am - gardening	9.00pm – Personal time (Coach House moves into silence until 9.30am the next day)

Final day: depart by 11am

The retreat will move into silence each evening from 9pm – 9/9.30am and on one full day in each retreat.

Reviews

Venue

The Coach House nature mindfulness retreat centre at The Sharpham Trust

The Coach House retreat centre at Sharpham

When you stay at The Coach House on the Sharpham Estate, you'll be in comfy, single rooms in a beautifully converted 18th century stable block, set in the stunning scenery of Sharpham's grounds. You'll experience daily meditation and movement sessions, time in our gardens and on the land and you'll eat delicious and homegrown vegetarian and vegan meals.

Coach House retreats focus on nature connection through a varied programme of retreats designed to connect you to Sharpham's flora and fauna, with plenty of time for you to rest and reflect.

Get Directions View Venue

By Car

Sharpham Estate is three miles outside Totnes on the edge of Ashprington village.

From the A38/Devon Expressway take the Totnes/Buckfastleigh exit.

On arriving in Totnes, at the first traffic lights, turn right onto the A381 towards Kingsbridge. Half a mile outside Totnes turn left to Ashprington (about two miles).

On reaching Ashprington village, turn left up the hill and onto the Sharpham Estate. Follow the road downhill until you get to a three-way junction and then follow signs for parking.

Please note and observe the 20mph speed limit through Ashprington village and on the Estate.

Charging your electric car at Sharpham

We have electric car charging points at The Sharpham Trust. Learn more about using them here

By Train

Frequent direct trains run from London, Birmingham, and the North. The journey time by train is less than three hours from London Paddington via GWR (www.GWR.com) and under four hours from London Waterloo.

Find train times and buy tickets from www.thetrainline.com

Trains to Totnes are on the Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance lines. Totnes railway station is a 5-10 minute walk from the town.

By Taxi

Click here to see how to book a single or shared taxi to The Sharpham Estate.

On foot or cycle from Totnes

From Totnes railway station, walking takes 45-60 minutes and cycling takes about 25 minutes.

Out of Station Drive, turn left at the main road, crossing over at the pedestrian lights. At Morrisons petrol station take the road straight on-ish into town (you'll soon walk past Morrisons supermarket on left). Keep going straight on over the mini-roundabout. At the Doctors' Surgery the road swings right. You go straight on, passing the Doctors' Surgery to your right.

When the road bears left around the back of the Steam Packet Inn on your left, you turn right (signposted National Cycle Network 28), up the hill for 30 metres to a sign for the footpath/cycle route to Ashprington. Follow this, taking the right hand route at the first fork, continue up a long hill, and through woodland.

Go through a gate at the top, then continue downhill along this path. You will reach another gate with the Sharpham compass logo on its post, and go through that gate. Continue on about 200 metres through a third gate and soon after you’ll pass a striking bench on your left commissioned by the Sharpham Trust as a wonderful sit-spot facing down the River Dart Valley towards Sharpham House. Follow the path down and through a fourth gate. Continue down and round and you’ll go through another gate.

Straight after that gate, you’ll reach a split in the path with a sign pointing toward Ashprington. Choose the left to take a more level route to Sharpham House. Take the right to climb (sometimes steeply), eventually reaching the pillars at the entrance to Sharpham Estate.

If you’re going to the Woodland Retreat parking and luggage drop-off, look out for signs directing you there. If you’re continuing to The Coach House or Sharpham House, walk or ride down the road or footpath beside until you reach the 3-way junction, where you’ll see signs for parking.

By Coach

The journey time by National Express coach is just over six hours from London, (Victoria Coach Station, Departures Hall) and the route travels via Heathrow Airport, (Central Bus Station). The coach is the 501 - Route Exeter, Torbay to Heathrow Airport and London.

By Bus

Community transport provider Bob The Bus goes between Totnes, Ashprington, Cornworthy, Tuckenhay and back on Wednesdays and Fridays only. Click here to see more information and to find timetables

Leaders

Bryony Middleton - Head Gardener Read more +

Emily Ings, Co Head Gardener at The Sharpham Trust mindfulness meditation centre

Emily Ings, Head Gardener Read more +

Emma Dibben Read more +

Nicky Mason

Nicky Mason Read more +

Costs

Rooms & rates

All rooms are comfortable single occupancy, giving you your own space in which to relax. Each room has an ensuite or a shared bathroom.

Click here for more information on our types of bedrooms and facilities

Rooms are allocated randomly and are bookable on a first-come, first-served basis, unless you have a medical need - please let us know on your booking form.

Meals, bedding, and towels are included.

Select from the following rates:

Subsidised rate			Standard rate		Supporter rate
A heavily subsidised rate for those on low incomes who would otherwise be unable to attend. This is made possible by the generosity of others who are able to pay the higher Supporter Rate, helping us keep retreats open and accessible to everyone			The Standard Rate for those not on a low income, covers the costs of your retreat and contributes a small amount to the upkeep of The Coach House. Your payment helps maintain the retreat spaces, keep rooms and communal areas in good order, and ensures the experience is welcoming and enjoyable for all who visit.		For those able to pay a little more, you'll make a wider, lasting impact, helping to preserve the estate and its wildlife, sustain the charitable work of the Trust and ensure future participants can benefit from the peace and renewal we offer. By choosing this rate, you’re helping The Trust to thrive - now and in the years to come.
Up to March 2027	£495		£555		£625
From April 2027 onwards, you can select a room with an ensuite or a shared bathroom
	Subsidised rate		Standard rate		Supporter rate
	Ensuite	Shared	Ensuite	Shared	Ensuite	Shared
From April 2027 onwards	£555	£495	£595	£545	£695	£625

Bursary spaces for those on low incomes

We are committed to making Sharpham Trust retreats accessible to everyone, no matter their income, and we have a variety of bursary schemes.

See our Bursary Spaces page here to explore ways in which you can come on a heavily-discounted retreat.

Bursary Fund donations

If you’d like to support even more people beyond your own retreat, you can donate to our Bursary Fund. Every gift helps make retreats accessible to those who might otherwise miss out.

If you’d like to help another person go on retreat with us through our bursary scheme, you can give online quickly and easily by clicking here

Terms & Conditions

See our booking and cancellations policy here

Available dates

2027 01 Sep

Mindful Gardening: a 4-night retreat at The Coach House

With Nicky Mason & Emma Dibben

BOOK ONLINE

At the heart of the Sharpham Trust ethos is our desire to build a more mindful, compassionate and environmentally sustainable world.

We connect people with nature and foster mindfulness and well-being through our programme of retreats, mindfulness courses, outdoor learning and the arts.

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Charity number: 285767 | Company number: 01659601

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