As you may know, last Autumn I fell awkwardly in my garden while teaching and badly broke my ankle. I have had surgery and rehab and have of course treated myself with every herb I could lay my hands on, but I have to reluctantly accept that I am not able to get out into the garden as much as I would like to.
The garden at Artemis House is enormously important to my clinic, patients and students. It is laid out in a spiral, representing a journey through a woman’s life, starting at birth with a beautiful rose arch and ending in paradise by the tranquil pond. There is a narrow gravel path to follow and slowly walk around the garden. As the path unfolds the planting reflects the herbs that are most helpful for that time in a woman’s life.
To maintain this garden requires an enormous amount of work, knowledge and passion and Katie, who has been carefully helping me in tending the garden for years, and I meet up regularly to plan planting schemes, decide which which herbs we need more of for the practice, which beds and borders need attention, and to design new garden projects (like my new herb bed!), all of which requires considerable amounts of labour to carry out.
To help us keep the garden looking its best, this spring and summer we are looking for volunteers to come and work alongside Katie and me. No previous gardening experience is necessary but a passion for herbs and plants is essential! The work involved includes
- weeding herb and vegetable beds and paths
- sowing seeds, pricking out and potting up seedlings
- watering and feeding beds and borders
- deadheading roses and flowering plants
- collecting herbs for drying and processing
- making tinctures and glycerites
- pressing tinctures and glycerites
The days volunteered and the work to be done can be arranged in advance with us. Please note we are not on a public transport route so you will need to be able to drive yourself to and from the garden.
If you are interested please email clinic@annemcintyre.com with your availability. Thank you!
