Benefits of the Medicinal Forest Garden Design course

You will learn key principles in designing a medicinal forest garden

  • Choosing the right plants to meet your interests and needs

  • Making a plan to provide supplies of healing plants

  • Integrating medicinal plants with plants for food and other uses

  • Planting a site for the longer term with sustainable harvests

  • Keeping everyone safe and planting with success

Design your own healing forest garden

And include medicinal trees and shrubs

Forest gardens can be highly productive. Although many of the plants could be used for health purposes it can be hard to find advice to help you choose and plan effectively. On this course you will find out about a range of medicinal plants to cultivate and harvest. A particular focus is the integration of trees and shrubs with herbs and other plants. With videos, activities, quizzes, information sheets and further reading, this course takes you through the key processes involved in successfully designing and establishing a medicinal forest garden.
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Path throughthe medicianl forest garden

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

  • 2

    1. Getting started

    • 1. Getting Started Outline

    • Getting Started Video Part 1

    • Download Hawthorn Tree Information Sheet

    • Getting Started Video Part 2

    • Activity: Reasons for growing medicinal plants

    • 1. Further Information
  • 3

    2. Why grow medicinal trees?

  • 4

    3. Assessing your site and resources

    • 3. Assessing Your Site and Resources Outline

    • Assessing Your Site and Resources Video Part 1

    • Download Elder Tree Information Sheet

    • Assessing Your Site and Resources Video Part 2

    • Activity: Make a base map

    • 3. Further Information
  • 5

    4. Amazing medicinal trees to consider

    • 4. Amazing Medicinal Trees To Consider Outline

    • Amazing Medicinal Trees To Consider Video Part 1

    • Download Ginkgo tree information sheet

    • Amazing Medicinal Trees to Consider Video Part 2

    • Activity: Soil Analysis

    • 4. Further Information
  • 6

    5. Shrubs, climbers and ground cover

    • 5. Shrubs, Climbers and Ground Cover Outline

    • Shrubs, Climbers and Ground Cover Video Part 1

    • Download Medicinal Shrubs List

    • Shrubs, Climbers and Ground Cover Video Part 2

    • Activity: Start your Plant Wishlist

    • 5 Further Information
  • 7

    6. The design plan

    • 6. The Design Plan Outline

    • The Design Plan Video Part 1

    • Download Sweet Gum Tree Information Sheet

    • The Design Plan Video Part 2

    • Matching Quiz: Can You Match Each Activity to a Permaculture Zone

    • 6. Further Information
  • 8

    7. Sourcing and propagating plants

    • 7. Sourcing and Propagating Plants Outline

    • Sourcing and Propagating Plants Video Part 1

    • Download Forsythia Information Sheet

    • Sourcing and Propagating Plants Video Part 2

    • Activity: Quiz on Propagation Practices

    • 7. Further Information
  • 9

    8. Establishing the medicinal forest garden

    • 8. Establishing the Medicinal Forest Garden Outline

    • Establishing the Medicinal Forest Garden Video Part 1

    • Download Oregon Grape Information Sheet

    • Establishing the Medicinal Forest Garden Video Part 2

    • Activity: Make a Planting List

    • 8. Further Information
  • 10

    9. Maintaining harvests

    • 9. Maintaining Harvests Outline

    • Maintaining Harvests Video Part 1

    • Download Birch Tree Information Sheet

    • Maintaining Harvests Video Part 2

    • Activity: Create Your Own Forest Garden Diary

    • 9. Further Information
  • 11

    10. Developing your medicinal forest garden

    • 10 Developing the Medicinal Forest Garden Outline

    • Developing the Medicinal Forest Garden Video Part 1

    • Download Alder Buckthorn Tree Information Sheet

    • Developing the Medicinal Forest Garden Video Part 2

    • Activity: Feedback Questionnaire

    • 10. Further Information
  • 12

    Extra Information

    • Extra: Glossary of Useful Terms

    • Plant Names A to Z Sorted

    • Finding Out More From The Medicinal Forest Garden Trust

Meet your tutor

Your tutor is Anne Stobart, an experienced medical herbalist and herb grower. Anne previously managed a herbal medicine degree programme at Middlesex University in London. She has published several books including Household Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England and The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook. Anne is a co-founder of Holt Wood Herbs, a medicinal tree and shrub project in Devon, UK. This online design course is based on successful short courses that Anne has previously run.
Watch Intro Video

See the Introductory Video

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long is the course?

    There are 10 lessons, each with several videos, a download, an activity and further reading. You can take as long as you need to complete the course.

  • What experience do I need?

    No experience is needed, just an interest in growing medicinal plants including trees and shrubs.

  • Must I have a growing site already?

    No, this course is about designing a growing site with medicinal plants. So, it may be useful whether you already have a site or are planning for one in the future. In this course there are suggestions to suit all sizes of growing site, from a cottage garden to an established woodland.

  • What assessment is there in this course?

    The course includes activities and quizzes to help you get to grips with the content. All of these activities are optional.

  • Can I get help if I need it?

    There are opportunities for discussion and questions throughout the course.

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Whether you are a gardener, grower, smallholder or farmer, this course will guide you in learning about sustainable cultivation of plants with medicinal effects. This course identifies growing requirements and uses in detail for a selection of medicinal trees and shrubs. Every sign up for this course helps to fund the Medicinal Forest Garden Trust.
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