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The Orchards gardening group is now meeting most Saturdays, 09:30 – 10:30am, at the River of Herbs Orchards behind of Huize Frankendael / Restaurant Merkelbach in Park Frankendael and will continue to throughout the seasons.
The group is flexible and everyone is welcome, either occasionally or regularly. Our gardening sessions are short, enjoyable, usually quite light work, effective and sociable. We find them a great start to the weekend!
Far more to these plants than thorns and berries
In just an hour of gardening, we are able to focus on one or more of the four orchards, where wild herbs grow beneath old fruit trees. We do the following kind of tasks for an hour, then break for a herb tea and a chat, whilst sitting on the orchard paths or benches.
- tidying the paths
- removing excess stinging nettles (and taking home for soup and tea)
- removing tree seedlings from herb beds (e.g. Sycamore)
- replanting tree seedlings (e.g. Hawthorn, Oak)
- tree pruning and utilising the herbs (e.g. Bay leaves, Wild cherry bark, Elder)
- reducing brambles and harvesting the soft tips
- herb harvesting whilst managing the plants (e.g. Calendula, Sweet woodruff, Wild garlic, Geranium)
- moving herb seedlings which spring up in the woodchip paths (e.g. Wild geranium, Wild strawberry, Wild garlic)
- refreshing the barefoot path with pinecones etc.
- thinning out dense herbs and using them (e.g. Creeping comfrey)
Last week, we were clearing storm damage; a large Ash tree lost a branch or two over one of the orchards, so we cut it up and cleared it, whilst saving seeds as a tea and food.
This is very simple, gentle, nature focussed gardening; enough to warm you up but not tire you out! It is a chance to learn and share knowledge of the local wild herbs – how to spot them, grow them and use them. The orchards are managed loosely according to Permaculture principles. They are organic; a kind of food forest, in which to tred lightly, where wildlife is in charge and we gardeners work to keep things as natural and diverse as possible.
Here is a short video taken today, in one of the orchards. The resolution is not so good but you should get an idea of the simplicity of the place.
Gardeners at the orchards should wear sturdy shoes, long trousers and sleeves to stay safe from stings, stones and thorns. Please try to bring your own gardening gloves. We have some to lend but best to get your own (perhaps from Action, Lidl or somewhere similar when they sell them for a Euro or so). Toilet facilities are inside of Huize Frankendael. Sadly, the access paths are not at all wheelchair freindly, they are gravel or woodchip.
If you would like to come along, please do! Avoid disappointment by checking that some of us will be there on the date you want to come along:
Contact Lynn Shore – email riverofherbs@gmail.com
or What’s app / SMS 0627596930.
River of Herbs 