Holt Wood Herbs
Holt Wood Herbs offer a range of online body care products under
the banner of 'forest garden body care', including skin toner and
moisturiser, soap, hair oil, deodorant and more. Many of the
products started out as gifts for friends and family made by Anne
Stobart who is a consultant medical herbalist based in Crediton.
Anne has always wanted to grow more of the plants used in her
herbal practice. One of her aims is to show that many healing
herbs, including trees and shrubs, can be grown and harvested in
the UK and do not have to be imported from other countries. Holt
Wood Herbs is the resulting project started by Anne and her partner
some 15 years ago. They have been exploring ways to sustainably
cultivate and harvest medicinal trees and shrubs, and discovered
that using a tree coppice approach can produce a bonanza of
medicinal supplies! Some of the ingredients grown are key elements
in the body care range. This year they are offering additional
courses at Holt Wood to pass on their experience in designing with,
growing and using medicinal trees and shrubs.
Transformed from a Conifer Plantation
Holt Wood is located near Great Torrington in Devon, about
a mile from RHS Rosemoor Garden. This project shows how a redundant
conifer plantation can be transformed into a forest garden using
permaculture design principles. It was established in 2005, with
planting of over 1000 trees. In addition to foods and fuel, a range
of plants are grown and harvested for use in herbal remedies and
body care products. The use of coppicing and pollarding is
especially beneficial, as it helps to prolong the life of trees and
support a diversity of ground level vegetation and wildlife. From
the experience gained on the project a new book is being published
in March 2020 by Permanent Publications entitled The Medicinal
Forest Garden Handbook.
Information about the book here.
Courses in Healing Trees and Shrubs
Our courses held in 2018 and 2019 were very well-received. In
2020 Holt Wood Herbs are offering three separate day courses in
herbal design, harvest and history at the medicinal forest garden
in May and June. Each course is based on a small group so that
detailed practical advice is possible, and the cost includes
refreshments and all learning materials. Alternatively, a new
weekend course for 2020 will be offered to cover most of the
content of the three separate day courses.
Day Courses and Weekend Courses
Thur 14 May 2020: Designing the Medicinal Forest
Garden. Discover the uses of medicinal plants including
trees and shrubs and how you can grow them in small or large spaces
(£85.00)
Thur 28 May 2020: Harvesting from a Medicinal Forest
Garden. Learn about harvesting, drying, processing and
making herbal remedies from medicinal plants including trees and
shrubs (£85.00)
Thur 11 June 2020: Medicinal Herbs in Historical
Practice. Find out about how herbal remedies have been
used in past centuries and get involved in poultice-making and
distilling with medicinal herbs (£85.00)
Sat 23/ Sun 24 May 2020: Medicinal Forest Garden
Weekend. Two days packed with content from our three day
courses in design with medicinal trees and shrubs, harvesting,
making and history of herbal remedies (£150.00)
Sat 20/ Sun 21 June 2020: Medicinal Forest Garden
Weekend. Two days packed with content from our three day
courses in design with medicinal trees and shrubs, harvesting,
making and history of herbal remedies (£150.00)
Further Information
Full details and online booking can be found on the Holt Wood
Herbs website, or call us on 01363 777531.
Course information can be found here.