Lesley Hewitt
Caroline Parker, the author of The Medicinal Garden, a degree qualified herbalist, has had an interest in gardening, growing and using herbs starting in her childhood. As an adult Caroline has pursued this interest culminating in writing The Medicinal Garden, a beautifully illustrated book that provides detailed information on various plants including how to sow and grow the plants, harvesting and drying details and information on how to prepare the plants and what they can be used for.
Caroline also provides several tried and tested recipes that those new to medicinal herb use can use to get started.
The book lists the plants in alphabetical order, but by their Latin names, rather than their common names – so Achillea Millefolium (aka yarrow) is listed first, rather than towards the end, as it would be if categorised under it’s common name.
The final chapter of the book outlines some apothecary basics to help the gardener get started on their herbal medicine cabinet.
One of the wonderful illustrations by Lucy Mara in The Medicinal Garden.
Caroline was a guest on Hepburn Community Radio’s 2nd Tuesday Book Review and explained that this is the third book in the Illustrated Garden Series which includes The Kitchen Garden and The Preserving Garden. She said that categorising the plants by their Latin names allows for the book to be read and understood outside of Australia.
Caroline cautions that her book is not intended to replace individual professional advice on health care and well-being; rather it is designed to get gardeners to grow and use common garden herbal plants. Her book follows on a long tradition of herbal healers in western and other culture (usually women) and our First Nation’s peoples’ knowledge.
The Medicinal Garden is available at the Paradise Books or from Caroline at https://www.thecottageherbalist.com.au
Caroline also runs workshops and has a shop at her property in the Wombat Forrest. Details are on her website.
The Medicinal Garden (2024), Caroline Parker with illustrations by Lucy Mara, published by Thames and Hudson, ISBN 978-1-760-76426-5
The 2nd Tuesday Book Review of The Medicinal Garden is available as a podcast on the Hepburn Radio SoundCloud. There’s more onthe podcast!
Lesley Hewitt is a Daylesford resident who presents The 2nd Tuesday Book Review on Hepburn Community Radio and writes complementary reviews for The Wombat Post.
