The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook by Anne Stobart
As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast:
The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook by Anne Stobart
This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is Growing, Harvesting, and Using Healing Trees and Shrubs in a Temperate Climate.
Ah, the enchantment of a forest garden, a verdant tapestry woven with the threads of nature's bounty. Anne Stobart's The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook invites us into this magical world, where healing plants grow wild and free, offering solace to both body and soul.
This book has tons of practical information on using medicinal trees and shrubs for self-sufficiency or profit—and it's a fantastic book.
Before I get into this review, you should know that Anne has extensive experience creating her own medicinal forest in England and regularly uses herbal medicine in her practice.
With a gentle yet knowledgeable tone, Anne guides us through the process of creating a personal medicinal forest garden. She shares her expertise with a warmth and enthusiasm that is infectious, making even the most complex horticultural techniques seem accessible.
Here's what Anne wrote in the foreword to her book.
I love herbs and am especially passionate about medicinal trees and shrubs.
This book is not only about how you can cultivate and harvest them, but it is also intended to provide you with the basis for creating your own medicinal planting design and herbal preparations.
The medicinal forest garden provides a way to grow and harvest healing plants that draw on natural and sustainable processes to make efficient use of resources of light, space, soil, and water.
At a time when forests are regarded as key in combatting climate breakdown, what could be better than seizing the opportunity to promote health and biodiversity by planting more medicinal trees and shrubs!
What's especially exciting about how Anne has written this book is that she is giving us advice for all kinds of spaces, whether you're looking at small gardens or small properties, all the way up to agroforestry. There is so much in this book.
The book is a treasure trove of practical information, from the design of new planting projects to the sustainable harvesting of medicinal trees and shrubs. Anne's years of experience shine through as she offers invaluable advice on everything from propagation to pest control.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its emphasis on the medicinal properties of these plants. Anne provides detailed information on the key constituents of each plant, as well as research studies that support their therapeutic uses. This makes it easy for readers to choose plants that align with their specific health needs.
Anne reviews her favorite medicinal trees and offers practical advice on incorporating those into your landscape. She shares the kind of shrubs you should consider if you're interested in medicinal plants. She also reveals how to combine woody and other layers of medicinal plants to look good and make sense with other projects you may have on your property.
Anne also takes us on a deep dive into some of the main medicinal constituents of woody plants and the latest research.
You don't always see this information together in one complete guide. Usually, there are drips and drabs in other books. But what I love about what Anne has done is she's put it all together here - All the information you need to make informed decisions about the medicinal trees and shrubs you want to plant on your property.
Now, Anne herself points out that many books on forest gardens focus primarily on food. So to have a book that talks about medicinal forest gardens is especially unique and valuable. And so, Anne is sharing her wisdom when it comes to harvesting so that you can create your own herbal remedies.
Beyond its practical value, the book is a joy to read. Anne's writing is evocative and poetic, painting vivid pictures of the forest garden in all its seasons. Her passion for her subject is evident on every page, and it's impossible not to be inspired by her love of nature.
Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook is a must-read.
It's a beautiful and informative guide that will help you create a garden that is not only a feast for the eyes but also a source of healing and nourishment.
Speaking for myself, I can say that I've had a few takeaways after reading Anne's book. I'm installing a mini orchard up at the cabin, and I'm also supplementing my old-growth forest all around the border of my property. I definitely took some of Anne's tree and shrub recommendations, and I'm incorporating them into my garden plan for this summer.
Anyway, I love this whole field. I also appreciate this area of using plants, not only for their ornamental or food value but also for their medicinal value, which was a key driver for the early plant explorers. And so, I think it's excellent to reclaim some of that knowledge.
This book is 288 pages of a ton of information. It's broken into two parts.
Part One has detailed information on the medicinal applications of trees and shrubs, including designing, growing, harvesting, and creating remedies.
And then Part Two gives you a fabulous directory of forty medicinal trees and shrubs. I bet there will be at least a handful that you want to add to your garden in the future.
SI HORTUM IN HORTORIA PODCASTA IN BIBLIOTEHCA HABES, NIHIL DEERIT.
