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August Bernstein is head tutor at The Raymond Blanc Gardening School at Le Manoir aux Quait’Saisons Hotel in Oxfordshire.
August shares both the impressive kitchen garden at Le Manoir and her own garden with over 100,000 followers on her Instagram platform.
August also runs her own seed activity pack business, Seed Explorers, for children and families.
In her spare time, August is studying for a degree in Environmental studies.
August is an inspiring and vibrant public speaker, which has led to her hosting gardening workshops for garden enthusiasts of all ages at festivals and corporate events.
From an early age, August Bernstein dreamed about travelling the world, searching for adventure. At 10 years old she went on her first holiday abroad, watching the air hostesses in their uniforms and thinking how glamourous and lucky they were to venture to different places and experience so many cultures. She had her heart set on wearing one of those uniforms and worked hard to make her dream a reality. At 19 years old, she became cabin crew for Virgin Atlantic and lived her dream for 18 years. But after years of travelling and being away from home, and with two young children, August went in search of a new adventure, which led her to gardening.
August began working in the Le Manoir Kitchen Garden in 2019. After 18 years as an air hostess, August had caught the gardening bug and became obsessed with the wonderful world of growing her own vegetables. After her husband took her for a special lunch at Le Manoir aux Quait’Saisons, Raymond Blanc’s 2 Michelin star hotel and restaurant, August visited the incredible kitchen gardens there and completely fell in love.
By chance, August found a job listing for Kitchen Gardener at Le Manoir. Despite having no experience or qualifications, she took a basket of her own organic veg and runner bean chutney to the interview and the team were so impressed with her green fingered enthusiasm she got the job. After 4 years of working and training, August gained her horticulture qualifications and became Head Tutor at the Le Manoir Gardening school.
Alongside her work for the Le Manoir, August is passionate about educating young people and inspiring them to learn to grow their own produce and understand where their food comes from. In 2021, August launched Seed Explorers, a set of colourful growing boxes for children and families to learn how to grow food, alongside fun activities.
August is an inspiring and vibrant public speaker, which has led to her hosting gardening workshops for garden enthusiasts of all ages at festivals and corporate events. She has run workshops at Liberty London and Soho Home, and has appeared at The Big Retreat, Hampton Court Flower Show and Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Festival. Her workshops focus not only on growing produce but also on improving mental health, finding happiness and achieving your goals through the process of planting.
August Bernstein has amassed an impressive Instagram following where she shares her passion for growing with her audience. As well as taking followers around the kitchen gardens at Le Manoir, she also shares her own gardens at home, which are stunning. August shares tips, advice and inspiration on growing vegetables, fruits and flowers, as well as the natural world. August also shares her love of sustainable and organic fashion on her platform and has worked with brands such as Hope & Ivy, Ridley London, Le Chameau, Merry People, Boden and Mary Benson London.