The Gardens
Classroom, studio, retreat
Omved Gardens is embarking on a Seed Saving Network centred around heritage and heirloom food crops, with a focus Future 50 varieties (foods that are nutritious and tasty, and have a low impact on our planet).
Seed banks and networks are a way of collecting seeds to preserve them for the future. As our climate changes and we continue to modify the environments around us, our food crops and methods of growing must adapt. We can prepare for these changes by learning which plants work best for both human needs, and the needs of the earth.
As part of the Gatherers exhibition, based on all things foraging and found materials, OmVed Gardens has launched a series of workshops with The Handmade Apothecary.
The workshops, taking place over three consecutive weeks, explore herbs, shrubs and trees; identification, medicine and history. The workshop materials are now available as downloadable pdf’s for workshop participants below (you will be issued with the password to download the documents following attendance of the workshop):
Wild Herbs for Health and Garden
Upcoming Handmade Apothecary workshops as part of the Gatherers Exhibition:
Propagating Herbs, Meet the Mints and Know your Carrots
Tuesday, 2nd June, 4.30-6pm
Herbal Infused Oils/Stop and Smell the Roses
Tuesday, 9th June, 4.30-6pm
Omved Gardens has been transformed by landscape architect Paul Gazerwitz into a meandering journey through wild and native plants, a relaxing embrace of scents of lavender, rosemary and sage and a comforting space to unwind and contemplate.
An ecological survey undertaken whilst the site was still a tarmacked hillside, found nothing of ecological value to record, so our immediate task was to create habitat and invite in nature. The first work was to remove all the tarmac and hard concrete surfaces and allow the earth to breathe. This has meant considerably reduced parking on site and visitors are encouraged to come without the car.
As this project has unfolded, we have introduced an orchard, a vegetable plot and many new trees and shrubs. We are an organic site and use the bounty of the garden to nourish our food and creativity agenda. Step by step we are exploring soil and composting, wild plants and nutrition, the relationship with the earth and our health.