AMATEUR gardeners are being offered the chance to take part in a new experiment and to meet new people with a project outside Oswestry.

The project is taking place at Treflach Farm, in Morda, and is building a mandala garden as part of a long-term soil fertility experiment, with a link to a 'permaculture club' at the farm.

The sessions will be led by Steve Jones, from Sector39 permaculture, who is a widely-experienced teacher and has also been working with Treflach farm for over 10 years, as they have made their journey into regenerative farming.

He is looking forward to welcoming new people to help with the project.

He said: "It starts from 10am each week, is free and informal and is a great chance to learn about soil building, organic growing, regenerative farming and permaculture.

"It is a chance to be involved with cutting edge environmental research, and a chance to meet new people and volunteer at the farm.

"Instead of worrying about many environmental challenges we all face, why not become directly improved in finding and implementing ways forward that allow us to work with nature instead of against it?

"The soil fertility project is also part of the GRFFN project, which is linking small scale growers around the world to explore the relationship between soil quality and the nutrient density of the resulting food grown in it.

"Please feel welcome to drop by on Thursday to Treflach Farm find out more, or visit https://academy.sector39.co.uk to see news and updates."

Steve added that permaculture is a global movement and links together people and projects from all around the world.

He added: "We are inspired by this garden in Normandy at Ferm Du Bec Helouin (pictured) and I teach permaculture in Wales and Uganda.

"The design for the garden we are building was created by students on a recent course at Treflach farm."