Inspired by nature
Escape the screens and reconnect with nature. Immerse yourself in the beauty of your environment through our off-site, art, or writing courses. City Lit offers you the chance to let nature's serenity calm your mind, reduce stress, and restore your creative spirit by using the beauty of your surroundings as inspiration. What will you create? Book your place now to be inspired by nature.
- Drawing from plants and flowers
Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 5 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterExplore the delicacy and beauty of plants and flowers through the medium of drawing. Respond to their structural qualities and colours, using a range of media and taking inspiration from a rich and varied history of the subject. Suitable for all levels of experience.Full fee £349.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £227.00 - Looking at winter trees Course start date: Sat 19 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Letta JonesJoin Letta Jones for three tree identification walks in Regent’s Park. These walks will take place on Saturday mornings. We will explore common trees, focusing on bark, twigs, leaves, outline, seeds and fruits, with the aim of giving you the confidence to get to know what to look for when identifying trees. Duration: 3 sessions over 3 weeks
Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £84.00 - Botanical illustration Course start date: Mon 21 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison BarrattLearn how Botanical Illustrators accurately depict flowers, leaves, stems and seeds - for the purpose of genus and species identification by Botanists and Biologists.
Work from both primary and secondary source material to create an array of illustrative work, including anatomical and/or decorative.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00 - Find your way without a map: Orienting from natural signs Course start date: Sat 3 Oct 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Christopher CollierSee nature in a whole new way by learning some basic, practical tips for navigating via natural clues and signs. You’ll never be lost without your phone again! Please note that this is a one-off, offsite session. Meeting point: Greenwich Park.
Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - Wildlife photography: Red and Fallow Deer Course start date: Sat 10 Oct 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Rachel WeghThis is an opportunity to enjoy the surroundings, flora and fauna of London's green spaces that have roaming deer. You will learn and practise wildlife photography skills along the way. Suitable for all levels.
Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £99.00 - Garden design: plan for SpringCourse start date: Thu 29 Oct 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison WorsterPlan ahead and use the dark Winter months to focus on getting your garden spring ready. Discover how to reconsider the layout and planting opportunities of your outside space and create personalised garden plans ahead of the peak Spring buying and planting season.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Painting from plants and flowers Course start date: Mon 2 Nov 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterExplore a variety of creative approaches for painting flowers from observation. Discover the rich history of this genre while taking inspiration from artists who use flowers as their subject matter.Full fee £349.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £227.00 - Winter Wildlife Walks: Rainham Marshes & Walthamstow WetlandsCourse start date: Sat 14 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ben ChappleJoin us to explore two of London’s most rewarding locations for observing wildlife in the winter months, Rainham Marshes and Walthamstow Wetlands. Learn to identify bird and mammal species at this time of year.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00 - Design your own garden Course start date: Wed 20 Jan 2027
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison WorsterExplore the principles of planting design using form, line and texture to create dynamic planting schemes. In weekly workshops, improve the breadth of your plant knowledge whilst developing the skills and techniques of garden designers.Full fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00 - Introduction to garden design Course start date: Mon 15 Feb 2027
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison WorsterTransform your garden and learn design and plant selection techniques tailored to your space. On this course you will discover how to understand your site and explore practical design solutions and tips on choosing the right materials and plants for your garden.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Drawing and mindfulness: modern and contemporary nature Course start date: Fri 26 Feb 2027
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Clare Barton-HarveyExplore how mindfulness can enrich the process of drawing, as we discover a range of contemporary approaches to drawing from nature. This course offers a great introduction to mindful drawing, or a way to explore it more deeply in the context of this theme.
Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Botany: a taster Course start date: Sat 13 Mar 2027
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Letta JonesJoin us for a one-day taster course to discover the breadth of the plant world and evaluate some common plants used for ornamental and medicinal purposes. The day will include a morning, classroom-based session at City Lit and an afternoon visit to explore plant life at Lincoln's Inn Fields.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - London photography walk: River Thames Course start date: Wed 7 Apr 2027 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Michael HardingExplore and discover London through these photography walks, moving through locations rich in photographic potential.
The walks centre around photographing views along the River Thames, from the Aldwych area eastwards to the City, from London Bridge to the Southbank and from Westminster to the newly developed Nine Elms area. Bring your own camera and comfortable walking shoes as you capture places, spaces, objects and people.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Garden design for beginners Course start date: Tue 4 May 2027
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Alison WorsterExplore the principles of planting design using form, line and texture to create dynamic planting schemes. In weekly workshops, improve the breadth of your plant knowledge whilst developing the skills and techniques of garden designers.Full fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00 - Nature writing Course start date: Sat 8 May 2027
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julie GartonWhat greater muse could a writer ask for than the wonders of the planet that surrounds them? Learn how to capture the majesty of nature on the page with this exciting course in creative non-fiction.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £51.00
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