A guide to Physic Garden Design

What is a Physic Garden

The origins of Physic, or Medicine Gardens lie far back in antiquity. Medicinal herbs were grown together in one place, partly for convenience of harvesting, but also for educational reasons.

In Britain, many of our well-known herbs, such as Lavender (Lavendula spica) and Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) were introduced from the Mediterranean by the Romans. However, Physic gardens were probably first established in Medieval times, as part of the monastic tradition. These gardens once served as places of learning, healing and contemplation.

In many rural areas, until recent times, people were often served by a local healer. These healers would plant native herbs in their gardens so that they were more readily available, but would also have grown popular herbs imported from other areas.

Although these gardens are rooted in the past, they still have relevance today. This may be for cultivating herbs for medicine making or research and education, but they also serve as sanctuaries for wellbeing, biodiversity and enhancing our green relationships.

A garden as medicine for body and spirit

You may already be a gardener and so understand the physical and mental benefits of absorbing yourself in tending your own special space. Designing and creating your own Physic Garden, of whatever size, brings these same benefits, but with the enhanced experience of growing herbs for teas, balms and other remedies. Here, modern self-care practices blend with traditional knowledge and connection with plants and their stories.

Scientific evidence supports the restorative power of spending time in green spaces and interacting with living plants. The term ‘soft fascination’ describes the beneficial effects of being in nature and engaged in ‘low-stimulation activity, which reduces the internal noise and provides a quiet internal space to relax’ (Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART)).

There is a positive energy that flows through the intention of nurturing a herb for a purpose, such as preparing a remedy from that plant ally and using this for maintenance of health, or for treatment of simple ailments in yourself, family members or friends. In addition, you gain so many other benefits from your own Physic Garden: creative expression, fun, physical exercise, stress reduction through mindfulness, sensory engagement and the knowledge that you belong to a herbal community, past and present.

Physic Garden Design

Assess how much space you have to create your garden. This may be a few pots or raised beds, or you may decide to develop a larger plot.
Observe your site. Where is the most light, and at what times of day? Is it sheltered or exposed to cold winds? What is the soil like? Do you have water in the garden? What are the boundaries and ground form like?
Decide what type of healing space you would like. Will it be your own personal sanctuary, for education about herbs, a community garden or a therapeutic space?
Consider access and movement around the garden. Do you need to provide access for limited mobility, such as smooth paths and ramps instead of steps?
Make sure that you have considered utilities, such as water availability for dry times and access for bringing in compost and getting rid of waste. Do you need a covered place for storage? Does your garden need additional drainage or power for lighting?
Consider wildlife and how this will enhance your garden. Create some wildlife-friendly features and provide links to natural areas outside your garden.
Decide on what type of layout you would like. If your space is large enough, you could create separate ‘rooms’, each with a different theme. Focal points, such as sundials and sculptures can be used to link areas or to create visual interest in your garden. Winding paths can create an element of surprise in a garden too. Herbs are usually arranged in groups to make harvesting easier, but you could choose an informal arrangement, such as a Forest Garden. Or you may prefer a formal herb garden with geometric shapes, such as a monastic quadrant.
Take into account the amount of time that you have available for looking after your garden, including time to harvest your precious herbs. Balance beauty with practicality. And don’t forget to include a comfortable place to sit; a place for quiet reflection and enjoyment of your garden and herbs.

Herbal Planting Themes

Once you have decided on the hard landscape, the pathways, boundaries and features, consider whether you would like a theme for the herb planting in your Physic Garden.

There are many possibilities, including:

Medieval Garden: focusing on herbs grown in the past
Culinary Herbs: those therapeutic herbs that are also used to flavour our food.
Colour Wheel: arranging herbs in sequence according to their flower/leaf colour.

You may wish to grow your herbs for specific uses, such as:

Digestive: including Mint, Fennel and Rosemary.
Calming: including Lemon Balm, Lavender and Skullcap.
Skin and first aid: including Calendula, Plantain and Yarrow

Design for the senses

A Physic Garden has the potential to engage all our senses in its richness. Play with sensory experiences in both your hard landscape features and your planting layout.

The sound of trickling water, or the feel and look of paving or garden sculptures enhances your experience.
Balance shapes and colours to enrich your visual landscape.
Many medicinal herbs, especially in the Mint family, have a strong fragrance. These can be positioned so that you can brush against them or crush a leaf for the scent.
Bringing in the textural differences in herbs brings further layers to your sensory experience.
As medicinal herbs are mostly edible, create a plant design for nibbling and tasting.
Think too about seasonal variation and how your sensory perception changes through the year.

Sustainability

As your Physic Garden is intended to nurture optimum health, it makes sense to use organic and regenerative gardening practices. Consider the gifts that you receive from your garden and return these with your care.

Make your own compost and look after your soil.
Conserve water, especially if you live in a drought-prone area.
Mulch planting areas to reduce the need to weed and water.
Create habitats for pollinators and beneficial insects.

Reflection

In tune with the Herb Society’s mission of ‘Growing Herbal Connections’, creating your own Physic Garden is a living reflection of this.

By growing our own medicine, we are helping to heal the earth, and heal ourselves.

Thank you to Jane Prescott (The Manx Herbalist) – Ambassador for The Herb Society, landscape architect, garden designer, and herbal teacher, for writing this section.