Intermediate~12 hours12 lessons

Designing a Working Apothecary Garden

The garden that supplies a working herbal practice — beautiful, functional, and intentional

Twelve lessons on designing and growing a medicinal garden that actually supplies a working herbal practice. You will learn site assessment, the 30-plant core apothecary, bed design, annual and perennial selection, soil fertility for medicinal plants, succession planting, and harvest planning across the season.

Taught by Deidre Starner, Master Herbalist

What you'll learn

Assess a site's potential for medicinal plant cultivation across sun, soil, water, and microclimate
Design beds that hold 25-40 medicinal plant species in a thoughtful layout
Select annuals and perennials appropriate to your climate and practice
Plan succession plantings and seasonal rotations to keep the garden productive
Schedule harvest across the season for maximum medicinal value

Course outline

1
Course Welcome — What an Apothecary Garden Is For
25 minFree preview
2
Site Assessment — Sun, Soil, Water, Space
55 minFree preview
3
The 30-Plant Core Apothecary Garden
60 min
4
Bed Design — Functional, Beautiful, Practical
50 min
5
Annual Herbs — The Foundation
45 min
6
Perennial Herbs — The Long Game
45 min
7
Trees and Shrubs in the Apothecary
40 min
8
Companion Planting and Polyculture
35 min
9
Pest and Disease Management
40 min
10
Soil and Fertility for Medicinal Plants
40 min
11
Harvest Planning Across the Season
45 min
12
Capstone — Design Your Apothecary Garden
60 min