The Living Garden 

The Course

The awareness of plants of their surroundings through sensing light direction and intensity, colours, touch, vibration and scents is a fascinating area of scientific study.

This course looks at gardens from the plants’ perspective. You will learn about new discoveries in this field, how plants use chemistry to above and below ground to communicate, and the importance of the sun and moon to trading nutrients and carbon with mycorrhizal fungi.

The day will also explore plant relationships with each other, insects, birds, animals – including humans – and pose new questions about whether plants feel pain. Are we friend or foe? Are we growing plants for our benefit or are they provoking us to do so for theirs?

The Tutor

Christina Stapley BSc (Hons) MCPP is a retired qualified medical herbalist with a degree in Phytotherapy (plant therapy). She has grown, studied and used over 300 herbs and has written three books on cultivating and using herbs in cookery, fragrant recipes, wines and liqueurs, crafts and home remedies. She has also edited and interpreted a 17th century book of cookery and physic recipes.

Christina now lives in Wiltshire and teaches History of Western Herbal Medicine, Pharmacognosy and Materia Medica for the School of Herbal Medicine.

Participant Information

Please bring with you a pen and paper and suitable clothing and footwear as you will spend part of the day outside. The course may take place in an historic building which can be cool, it is advisable to wear warm layers.

Fee & Refreshments

£75 per person, including tuition, teas and coffees. Please let the Museum know in advance of any dietary requirements. The Museum café will be open for lunch or alternatively participants can bring their own packed lunch.