Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts

Friday, 28 February 2014

Herbal and garden history talk



Lady Boscawen's seventeenth-century plant notebook: Some issues in herbal and garden history
To what extent did housewives grow and collect herbs for medicinal use in early modern times? Contemporary printed sources suggest that women took much responsibility for gardens and household healthcare in this period. However, there has been limited scholarly study of the extent to which women planned or carried out such activities.  Dr Anne Stobart, a medical herbalist and member of the Herbal History Research Network, will consider these questions and describe her research interests.  Anne was based at Middlesex University in London from 2000 and held the post of Director of Programmes for Complementary Health Sciences until 2010. She completed her PhD in 2009; her thesis focused on seventeenth-century domestic medicine in South-west England.  

Where:  Kenn Centre, Kennford, Exeter, EX6 7UE.
When:  Wednesday 19th March 2014 at 2.30p.m. (Doors open at 2.00p.m.)
Cost:  £5 (DGT members)/ £6 (non-members) to include afternoon refreshments.  Please book before Monday 17th March 2014.
To book, please download a booking form here or contact Dr Ian M Varndell (tel. 07769 335506 or email events@devongardenstrust.org.uk).


Devon Gardens Trust (DGT) is an active charitable company which aims to:
  • promote the education of the public on matters connected with the arts and sciences of garden land;
  • preserve, enhance and re-create for education and enjoyment of the public whatever garden land may exist in and around the county of Devon.


Saturday, 22 February 2014

Herbal history edited book published



Hooray! As co-editor of this book on herbal history research I am so pleased it has finally been published. It is not specifically to do with Holt Wood but this is one reason why I have had so little time in the last year! This book is an academic text aimed at encouraging more herbal history research - the original chapter contributors came together in 2010 at a seminar on herbal history. The full reference is:

Susan Francia and Anne Stobart, eds. Critical Approaches to the History of Western Herbal Medicine: From Classical Antiquity to the Early Modern Period. London: Bloomsbury, 2014.
 
Hot off the press!
There are chapters from historians, medical herbalists and others on a wide range of historical aspects of herbal medicine including classical thought, midwifery, Culpeper, Parkinson, Turner. materia medica, archaeology, ethnobotany, and more. Further details at:

The Herbal History Research Network continues to organise seminars in London and the South-west of England - the next one is all about herbal illustration and identification - details at:


Overlooking River Torridge, February 2014


I shall continue researching and writing but hope that there will be a bit more time for Holt Wood! The spring weather gives us hope that conditions will be right for some work clearing brambles soon.



Thursday, 19 July 2012

New Medicinal Forest Garden Trust


The Medicinal Forest Garden Trust, was launched on 11th July 2012. This new voluntary organisation has charitable aims of promoting and supporting education and research relating to the sustainable cultivation and harvesting of medicinal trees and shrubs. The constitution allows for activities of courses, demonstrations, research projects, alongside promoting suitable accreditation and linking projects together.


Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) at Holt Wood
This is a great development as, when searching for information ourselves, we have found a lack of organisations with specific expertise in medicinal trees and shrubs. This new organisation will be a focus for developing links and sharing information. Contributions are most welcome, if interested then do get in touch with Anne at herbaid@herbaid.co.uk.