The new PFI-funded health centre in Todmorden was completed in 2009, so we approached them with the idea of creating a medical garden that the public could access at any time. Work began that very year to plan and create a community medical garden to be enjoyed by the health centre’s staff, patients and the wider community. Different teams have worked together to tame and organise this garden, despite its location meaning there wasn’t easy access to water or good storage facilities.
Most of the beds are themed, and as well as creating new ones, we now have areas for culinary, respiratory and skin herbs, and for mental well-being and women’s health.
In 2022, we bought in lots of new plug plants to raise, and grew many more from seed and cuttings ourselves. We now have approximately 75 different medicinal species!
Some highlights of the past couple of years include a Spring Picnic and plant sale, two balm-making workshops, and the building of a new bench from reclaimed materials, so visitors, volunteers and health centre staff can relax among the herbs in the mental well-being bed. We have been harvesting, drying and making tinctures and potions, and are building up quite an apothecary!
Our vision is to learn together how to use the herbs and to share skills, with the goal of creating a more self-reliant and healthy community. We are all learning so we will make mistakes! We would love your feedback, ideas and enthusiasm to help maintain and improve the garden, and we always welcome new volunteers!
You can find out more about the Incredible Medical Garden by following our work over on Facebook.
