For entertainment, information, additional skills or a stepping stone to a horticultural job, you can't beat the range of slide shows, lectures, workshops and classes across the country, and probably the best ways to find something near you is to search the web and also ask everyone you know, and don't know.

The local library usually holds a list of evening and day classes, local clubs and associations. And try your local tourist information centre because, despite the name, they also hold lots of information for residents too. Also, a lot of garden centres run gardening clubs with events and demonstrations.

The Workers' Educational Association runs practical and academic courses in different parts of the country, and the University of the Third Age (U3A) has a lot to offer around the UK too.

Colleges also run day courses and workshops on top of their termly offerings, so have a look at your print or online Yellow Pages or Thomson's Directory to find your local colleges. There's a list at the end of the previous section (4. Where to train?) too.

The Royal Horticultural Society holds lists of lecturers and events, and The National Trust also holds gardening events.

Botanic gardens hold fascinating events too, such as Cambridge, Edinburgh and Kew.

A major organic gardening organisation, Garden Organic, also runs events at Ryton, near Coventry, and Yalding, near Maidstone, plus local events around the country - full of sound gardening principles regardless of whether you want to take the organic route, although obviously there won't be much about artificial pesticides.

Links in order of mention:

Workers' Educational Association

University of the Third Age (U3A)

Yellow Pages

Thomson's

Royal Horticultural Society events

National Trust events

Cambridge Botanic Gardens events

Edinburgh Botanic Gardens events

Kew Botanic Gardens events

Garden Organic events